Antigenic studies on coronavirus. I. Identification of the structural antigens of human coronavirus, strain 229E

Antigenic analysis of human coronavirus, strain 229E (HCV/229E), using a microimmunodiffusion technique, has resulted in the detection of six virion antigens. Comparison of the effect of several different virus-disrupting agents has shown that sodium deoxycholate or Triton X-100 were the best for HCV/229E disruption. Of the six coronavirion antigens, three were identified as virus specific and the remainder as host antigens, which were present as either integrated or nonspecifically adsorbed host components. One of the virus-specific antigens was identified as the internal nucleoprotein (229E/RNP). On the basis of immunodiffusion reactions with isolated 229E/RNP it was concluded that human convalescent sera reacted specifically with the 229E/RNP antigen.