Difference in viral binding between two Epstein-Barr virus substrains to a spectrum of receptor-positive target cells

Radio-labelled Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was utilized in a direct binding assay to detect the presence of EBV receptors. The sensitivity of this method was affirmed by the detection of EBV-receptors on three EV-carrying cell lines that have previously been reported as receptor negative. Two laboratory substrains of EBV, derived from the cell lines B95-8 and P3HR-I (designated B and P virus respectively), were tested in the binding assay. The main repcptor prototype adsorbed both viral strains without apparent distinction. In contrast, two lines, a Swedish EBV-negative B-cell lymphoma (U698) and a virus non-producer subline of the receptor-negative P3HR-1 line, adsorbed P virus selectively but failed to adsorb B virus.