PHOTOINACTIVATION OF VIRUS INFECTIVITY BY HYPOCRELLIN-A

We investigated the photoinactivation of virus infectivity by hypocrel lin A and its mechanism. The titers of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV ) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), both of which are e nveloped viruses, were reduced upon illumination with hypocrellin A in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas canine parvovirus, a nonenv eloped virus, was not killed, The removal of oxygen or addition of sod ium azide or beta-carotene both inhibited VSV inactivation, Mannitol a nd superoxide dismutase had no effect on VSV inactivation, These resul ts indicate that singlet oxygen was involved in the process of VSV ina ctivation, Of the three major VSV membrane proteins, peripheral membra ne protein M was most damaged by the hypocrellin A phototreatment.