LACK OF RESTRICTION OF GROWTH FOR AQUAREOVIRUS IN MAMMALIAN-CELLS

The striped bass (SBR) virus, a member of the recently described aquar eoviruses, infected, caused cytopathic effects (CPE), and replicated i n mammalian cells. The virus caused CPE in all 7 of the mammalian cell lines investigated. SBR virus functioned best at lower temperatures a nd it is these lower temperatures that appeared to be restricting fact ors for growth of some mammalian cells. At 22 degrees C the SBR virus grew to similar titers in both chinook salmon embryo (CHSE) cells and in mammalian cells. Analysis of viral polypeptide and RNA synthesis su ggests that the restriction for viral growth at higher temperatures oc curs after adsorption but before transcription and translation of vira l genes. The fact that SBR virus did not grow at 37 degrees C implies that aquareoviruses are unlikely to be human pathogens.