Induction of apoptosis in frog virus 3-infected cells.

The ability of frog virus 3 (FV3), the type species of the family Iridoviridae, to induce apoptosis was examined by monitoring DNA cleavage, chromatin condensation, and cell-surface expression of phosphotidylserine (PS) in fathead minnow (FHM) and baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. In productively infected FHM cells, DNA fragmentation was first noted at 6-7 h postinfection and was clearly seen by 17 h postinfection, while chromatin condensation was detected at 8.5 h postinfection. As with some other viruses, FV3-induced apoptosis did not require de novo viral gene expression as both heat-inactivated and UV-inactivated virus readily triggered DNA fragmentation in FHM cells. Moreover, FV3-induced apoptosis was blocked in FHM cells by the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, suggesting that virus infection triggers programmed cell death through activation of the caspase cascade. FV3 infection also triggered apoptosis in BHK cells as monitored by TUNEL and annexin V binding assays. To determine whether FV3, similar to other large DNA viruses, encoded proteins that block or delay apoptosis, mock- and FV3-infected FHM cells were osmotically shocked and assayed for DNA fragmentation 3 hours later. DNA fragmentation was clearly seen whether or not shocked cells were previously infected with FV3, indicating that infection with FV3 did not block apoptosis induced by osmotic shock in FHM cells. The above results demonstrate that iridoviruses triggered apoptosis and that the induction of programmed cell death did not require viral gene expression. However, it remains to be determined if virion attachment to target cells is sufficient to induce cell death, or if apoptosis is triggered directly or indirectly by one or more virion-associated proteins.

Molecular characterization of a ranavirus isolated from largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides.

An iridovirus, isolated from largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides following a die-off among adult fish and provisionally designated largemouth bass virus (LMBV), was characterized by analysis of viral protein synthesis in infected cells, viral DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), and sequence determination of the major capsid protein and viral DNA methyltransferase genes. All 3 approaches yielded results consistent with the suggestion that LMBV was a member of the genus Ranavirus. Moreover, LMBV was nearly identical to 2 isolates from Southeast Asia which had been previously detected in imported ornamental fish. It remains to be determined whether infection of largemouth bass resulted from exposure to an imported virus, or whether the presence of similar viruses in southeast Asia and the southeastern United States indicates that iridovirus species are not geographically limited as suggested earlier, but rather globally distributed.

Channel catfish reovirus (CRV) inhibits replication of channel catfish herpesvirus (CCV) by two distinct mechanisms: viral interference and induction of an anti-viral factor.

Catfish reovirus (CRV), a double stranded RNA virus, inhibited channel catfish herpes-virus (CCV) replication by 2 different mechanisms: (1) directly as a consequence of its own replication, and (2) indirectly due to the induction of an anti-viral factor. In the former, prior infection with CRV significantly reduced subsequent CCV protein synthesis and virus yield. CRV mediated-interference was greatest when CRV infection preceded CCV infection by 16 h, and was least when cell cultures were simultaneously infected with both viruses. in the latter case, the infection of channel catfish ovary (CCO) cultures with UV-inactivated CRV resulted in the synthesis (or release) of an anti-viral factor. Cells producing the factor were protected from CCV infection, as were cells which had been treated with spent culture medium containing anti-viral activity. Interestingly an anti-viral activity was constitutively present in long-term cultures of catfish T-cells and macrophages. Whether this factor and the one induced by UV-inactivated CRV are identical is not known, but analogy to mammalian systems suggests that the former may be similar to type II interferon, whereas the latter may be the piscine equivalent of type I interferon. These results suggest that UV-inactivated CRV may prove useful in the induction and characterization of interferon-like anti-viral proteins in the channel catfish and that long-term cultures of catfish T-cells and monocytes may serve as a ready source of additional anti-viral factors.

Characterization of hybrids between bovine (MDBK) and mouse (L-cell) cell lines.

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT)-deficient mutants of a bovine kidney cell line (MDBK) were selected following mutagenesis with ethylmethane sulfonate or ICR-170G. MDBK mutants were hybridized to thymidine kinase-deficient L cells and selected in HAT medium. Parental and hybrid cells were characterized for isozyme patterns of lactic dehydrogenase malate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glutamate oxalate transaminase. Chromosomes of MDBK can be distinguished from mouse L cells by configuration and by fluorescent staining with Hoechst 33-258 stain. Hybrid cells contained both MDBK and L-cell chromosomes and had elevated DNA content. MDBK cells are normally restrictive for mengovirus replication. Both permissive and restrictive hybrids were found. Our data indicate that there was preferential loss of MDBK chromosomes in the hybrid cell lines.

Amphibian cells in culture. I. Nutritional studies.

Nutritional requirements of amphibian cells in culture were studied for the purpose of modifying a minimal medium in which frog cells could proliferate and which could be used for obtaining drug-resistant and auxotrophic variants. The serum, purine, CO2, and amino acid requirements for ICR 2A (a Rana pipiens haploid cell strain) have been investigated employing two different media: L-15, a nonbicarbonate, amino acid-buffered medium and Eagle's MEM, a bicarbonate-buffered medium. In this paper we present evidence to support the following conclusions: (1) With L-15 as the base medium, 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) supports optimal cell growth during exponential phase. Calf serum, whole, dialyzed, or heat-inactivated, cannot substitute for FCS and, in fact, is inhibitory. (2) Purines are required by ICR 2A cells only if grown in a nonbicarbonate-buffered medium, since the cells under these conditions cannot produce enough endogenous CO2 to support de novo purine synthesis. (3) In addition to the amino acids considered essential for mammalian cells in culture, ICR 2A cells depend upon exogenous asparagine. Glutamine and/or aspartic acid cannot replace the asparagine requirement. However, ICR 2A cells do utilized exogenous glutamine as an oxidative substrate.

Amphibian cells in culture. II. Isolation of drug-resistant variants and an asparagine-independent variant.

With L-15 as the base medium, drug-resistant variants were isolated from two amphibian tissue culture strains: the Xenopus laevis A8 diploid cell line and the ICR 2A cell line of Rana pipiens. Four different classes of variants were obtained: (1) A8 cells resistant to chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of mitochondrial protein synthesis; (2) A8 cells resistant to ouabain, an inhibitor of the Na+/K+-activated ATPase of the plasma membrane;(3) ICR 2A cells resistant to low (20 microgram/ml) and high (300 microgram/ml) levels of bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR), a thymidine analog which interferes with the pyrimidine salvage pathway; and (4) ICR 2A cells resistant to 2,6-diaminopurine (DAP), an adenine analog which interferes with the purine salvage pathway. Unlike the other variants, isolation of BUdR resistant cells is a 2-step process. Resistance to low levels of BUdR is phenotypically expressed by a reduction in thymidine transport activities while resistance to high levels of this compound is evidenced by greatly reduced levels of thymidine kinase activity. DAP-resistant cells, which are characterized by reduced levels of adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (APRT) activity, do not die in AAT (adenine, aminopterin, thymidine) selection medium. This suggests that these cells utilize adenine efficiently. With MEM as the base medium, an asparagine independent clone was isolated from the ICR 2A cell line. When compared with the wild type, this variant exhibited a slightly reduced growth rate in the presence or absence of asparagine.