Electron microscopic studies on reovirus type 1 in BHK 21 cells

Abstract

BHK 21 cells infected with reovirus Type 1 were sampled at various stages during a single cycle of virus replication, sectioned and studied with the electron microscope. Attention is drawn to cytopathic characteristics shown by the infected cell which are absent from uninfected cells. On the basis of similarities with bluetongue virus it is suggested that the nucleic acid moiety of the virus particles may be incompletely inserted in the capsid. This may be due to incomplete coiling up of the nucleic acid before condensation of the capsid around the nucleic acid or incomplete packing in of the nucleic acid into a preformed capsid or possible leaking out of the nucleic acid from the formed virus particle.