Comparison of microtubules and microfilaments in Tipula iridescent virus-infected and uninfected cells
Microfilaments and microtubules were detected in Estigmene acrea virus-infected cells using fluorescent immunochemistry and in sections by electron microscopy. Twelve hours following infection of cells with Tipula iridescent virus, large virus assembly sites developed in the cytoplasm. The majority of infected cells exhibit no detectable changes in the cytoskeleton during the initial stage of infection, when virus assembly sites are forming. Actin was localized either in cytoplasmic spikes or in patches at the cell surface. Microtubules were parallel to the long axis of elongate cells or randomly distributed in globular cells. Intermediate filaments were not detected using either immunofluorscent or electron microscopic techniques. In later stages of infection some cells exhibit a specific association between actin and the virus assembly site. The significance of this observation remains unclear since only a portion of the population exhibits this change. From this study, it does not appear that cytoskeletal elements are of importance in the formation or maintenance of the membrane-free cytoplasmic virus assembly sites.