The association of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus with the cytoskeleton

The cells of eukaryotes are characterized by a filamentous network referred to as the cytoskeleton. It is believed that most animal viruses use the cytoplasmic or nuclear skeletal matrix during at least part of their replication cycle.Transmission electron microscopic studies of thin sections of cells infected with epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), a double-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Reoviridae family, have demonstrated the presence of virus-like particles, virus-specific fibrils and tubules, and viral inclusion bodies. Studies of bluetongue virus (a closely related orbivirus) by Eaton et al. and Hyatt et al. confirmed that these virus-specific structures bind to the cytoskeleton of infected cells, and facilitated study of their viral protein content using monoclonal antibodies in immunogold labeling procedures, This study describes cytoskeletal involvement in the replication of EHDV.The grid-cell-culture technique, preparation of cytoskeletons, and immunolabeling procedure were those described by Hyatt et al. Grids were dehydrated in a graded alcohol series, critical point dried in amyl acetate and CO2, coated with carbon and examined with a Philips LS 410 transmission electron microscope operating at 60 kv.