Cell fusion induced by Germiston and Wesselsbron viruses

Abstract

Both Germiston and Wesselsbron viruses were found to rapidly induce polykaryocytosis when added to cell cultures; the immediate nature of the reaction suggested that the mechanism was fusion from without. Mouse peritoneal macrophages and Vero, LLC-MK2, Aedes albopictus and L cells were susceptible to fusion. Chloroform treatment did not affect the ability of either virus to induce cell fusion even though the infectivity of Germiston virus was completely destroyed by chloroform. When chloroform-inactivated virus was added to cell cultures at high multiplicities, all cells in the monolayer were fused into a single syncytium. © 1973 Springer-Verlag.