Electron microscopic observations of aberrant capsids of pseudorabies virus

Interactions between four strains of pseudorabies virus (PrV) and seven kinds of cell lines were examined. Three kinds of cells (SKL, CPK and PK-15) were especially infected with PrV at an MOI of about 10 PFC/cell. At sequential intervals after infection, cells of these types were collected for electron microscopic observations and the infectious doses of culture fluids were assayed. Developmental features of PrV were found to be very similar to those of herpes simplex virus (HSV), with the slight difference that PrV developed a little earlier and more vigorously than did HSV. At the late stage of infection, aberrant capsids of PrV were observed frequently in the nucleus of SKL but rarely in the nuclei of CPK and PK-15. The titer of infectious virus produced by SKL was much larger than that produced by CPK and PK-15. Immuno-electron microscopic examination using a monoclonal antibody against the major capsid protein of PrV clearly demonstrated that the complete and aberrant capsids have a common epitope. The mechanism of the formation of aberrant capsids is discussed.