INFECTIOUS PANCREATIC NECROSIS VIRUS (IPNV) DOES NOT REQUIRE ACID COMPARTMENTS FOR ENTRY INTO CELLS

The early events in the infection of unenveloped viruses are still rat her unknown and puzzling. However, as in the case of enveloped viruses , the acid pH of endosomes can be important to trigger the virus entry into the cytosol. To test if the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), an unenveloped virus, requires acid endosomal pH to infect ce lls, we assayed the effect of Bafilomycin Al on IPNV replication. Conc entrations of the antibiotic which inhibited the endosomal acidificati on of the host cells were unable to affect IPNV replication in CHSE-21 4 cells; therefore, the acid pH of endosomes seems not to be a mandato ry condition for the entry of IPNV into cells.