Antigenic studies on coronavirus. I. Identification of the structural antigens of human coronavirus, strain 229E

Antigenic analysis of human coronavirus, strain 229E (HCV/229E), using a microimmunodiffusion technique, has resulted in the detection of six virion antigens. Comparison of the effect of several different virus-disrupting agents has shown that sodium deoxycholate or Triton X-100 were the best for HCV/229E disruption. Of the six coronavirion antigens, three were identified as virus specific and the remainder as host antigens, which were present as either integrated or nonspecifically adsorbed host components. One of the virus-specific antigens was identified as the internal nucleoprotein (229E/RNP). On the basis of immunodiffusion reactions with isolated 229E/RNP it was concluded that human convalescent sera reacted specifically with the 229E/RNP antigen.

Purification and Properties of the RNA Polymerase-Template Complex of an Influenza Virus

The enzyme-template complex of influenza RNA polymerase (fowl plague virus) was purified 200-fold. The sole virus component found in this preparation was RNP-antigen. All attempts to remove the internal template led to an irreversible loss of enzyme activity. The complex was essentially free of nucleases. It synthesized exclusively viral minus strand RNA and was unable to initiate more than one cycle of RNA synthesis. The lag phase at the beginning of RNA synthesis in vitro, present in crude enzyme preparations, was abolished with the purified complex. The enzyme was sensitive to sulfhydryl reagents and it was able to accept α-S-ATP in place of ATP.