[Induction of alphavirus ts-mutations by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine added to the replicating virus]

The possibility of producing ts mutants of Sindbis and eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus by treatment of replicating virus with N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine was studied. N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine added in a concentration of 20 micrograms/ml to chick fibroblast cultures infected with Sindbis virus for 4 hours was shown to induce ts mutations in the virus. Under similar conditions no ts mutants of EEE virus could be obtained. The content of ts mutants in the mutagenized populations of Sindbis virus was 7.9%. Eight ts mutants were isolated. Their temperature-sensitive defect was expressed to various degrees. The plaque-forming efficiency at 40 degrees C/35 degrees C ranged from 6.3 X 10(-2) to 1.7 X 10(-8), and the yield from 5.6 X 10(-2) to 2.8 X 10(-4).