Enhancement of Reovirus Infectivity by Extracellular Removal or Alteration of the Virus Capsid by Proteolytic Enzymes

Reovirus particles have an inner coat between the capsid and the nucleic acid core. The in vitro removal of the capsid layer by proteolytic enzymes resulted in an increase in infectivity in reovirus preparations. This finding contributes to a better understanding of virus infection, stability and structure, and helps explain results of kinetic studies of activation and inactivation. Further, the findings presented have practical application in the isolation and identification of reovirus, and in the preparation of high-titred virus stocks.

^* Department of Bacteriology and Public Health, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321.

^† Division of Animal Genetics, CSIRO, P.O. Box 90, Epping, Australia.