RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Macintyre, Georgina A1 Wong, Fred A1 Anderson, RobertYR 1989 T1 A Model for Persistent Murine Coronavirus Infection Involving Maintenance via Cytopathically Infected Cell Centres JF Journal of General Virology, VO 70 IS 3 SP 763 OP 768 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-70-3-763 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB SUMMARY The relatively cell impermeable hygromycin B was found to inhibit viral but not cellular protein synthesis when added to cultures of murine hepatitis virus (MHV)-infected or mock-infected mouse L-2 fibroblasts. Membrane permeability, as judged by influx of sodium ions, has previously been demonstrated to be an MHV E2 glycoprotein-mediated, cytopathic effect of MHV infection in L-2 cells. It is therefore likely that the selective effect of hygromycin B on viral protein synthesis is a reflection of an increased drug penetration into virus-infected cells. Using hygromycin B as a marker for MHV-induced cell membrane cytopathology, the effects of drug treatment on a persistent MHV infection in mouse LM-K fibroblasts were investigated. MHV persistence in LM-K cells, which normally involves a steady state infection of 0ยท1 to 1 % of the cells in culture, was found to be cured by hygromycin B treatment, as measured by the elimination of infectious virus from the supernatant medium. Hygromycin B also resulted in the eradication of MHV-specific RNA from LM-K cells, arguing against the presence of a non-cytopathically or latently infected subpopulation of cells., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-70-3-763