Growth behavior of bovine herpesvirus-1 in permissive and semi-permissive cells

Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) can replicate well in bovine-derived cell line s such as Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) but grows poorly in hamster lung (HmLu-1). Virus replication, DNA synthesis, and immediate-early gene expre ssion are severely restricted in HmLu-1. We compared adsorption and penetra tion of BHV-1 in permissive MDBK and semi-permissive HmLu-1 cells. At a low multiplicity of infection, BHV-1 attached to permissive MDBK cells twice a s much as to HmLu-1. The presence of heparin inhibited the attachment of BH V-1 to MDBK cells by about 60%, but over 90% of the attachment was inhibite d in HmLu-1. To investigate the penetration of BHV-1, we performed the quan titative measurement of viral DNA by quantitative competitive (QC)PCR in in fected cells. In MDBK cells, virions attached to the cell surface, penetrat ed into the cells and were transported to the nucleus. However in HmLu-1, o nly a small fraction of the virions attached to the cell: surface were allo wed to penetrate. Our results indicated that the replication of BHV-1 in se mi-permissive HmLu-1 nias not dramatically restricted at one certain point but at some various stages including adsorption and penetration. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.