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RADIOBIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF VACCINIA VIRUS

Journal Article · · Virology (U.S.)

Radiation studies of vaccinia virus were carried out using Co/sup 60/ gamma rays and ultraviolet light (UVL). When virus particles were irradiated with gamma rays a twocomponent survival curve was obtained. The capacity of Earle's L cells to support the growth of vaccinia virus was relatively sensitive to gamma rays. Infectious centers formed by infecting L cells with vaccinia virus were irradiated at various times during the eclipse period of virus growth (the Luria-Latarjet experiment). When irradiated with gamma rays, infectious centers exhibited an initial sensitization to inactivation that persisted for at least 3 hours. At times later than 3 hours after infection the infectious centers became progressively more resistant to inactivation by gamma rays (stabilization); the survival curves remained almost single-hit throughout the eclipse period. Studies with FUdR, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, showed little stabilization in the absence of viral DNA synthesis. Free particles of vaccinia virus were inactivated according to single-hit kinetics by UVL. The capacity of L cells to form virus was relatively resistant to UVL. In the Luria-Laturjet experiment using UVL, the survival curves of the infectious centers remained singlehit for the first 3 hours of the eclipse period, with slopes about half that of the survival curve for the free virus. Starting between 3 and 4 hours after infection, the survival curves became multihit, but their slopes remained parallel to the slopes of the survival curves of the early infectious centers. Possible interpretations of the results are discussed. (auth)

Research Organization:
Univ. of Toronto and Ontario Cancer Inst., Toronto
NSA Number:
NSA-18-008190
OSTI ID:
4113231
Journal Information:
Virology (U.S.), Journal Name: Virology (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 21; ISSN VIRLA
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English