AVIAN ADENOVIRUS INDUCES ION CHANNELS IN MODEL BILAYER-LIPID MEMBRANES

The action of duck egg drop syndrome 1976 (EDS-76) adenovirus on model bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) has been investigated on planar egg pho sphatidylcholine membranes and small unilamellar vesicles. It was foun d that the adenovirus formed channels in planar BLM in a pH-dependent manner. The addition of EDS-76 to planar BLM at pH 5 induced voltage-i ndependent channel activity of about 60 pS conductivity after a lag ph ase. At pH 3, EDS-76 induced irregular spikes of current across the pl anar BLM which disappeared after several minutes. The adenovirus also was able to induce pH-dependent leakage of calcein-loaded liposomes. E DS-76 did not induce channel activity in planar BLM or liposome leakag e at neutral pH. (C) 1997 Academic Press.