Studies on virus-induced cell fusion. Progress report, July 1, 1978-July 31, 1979

We have determined the extent of fusion in mixed Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) cell populations. Labeled, sparse, infected cells were surrounded by unlabeled, excess, uninfected (or infected) cells to determine if fusion inhibition is active when present in the same cell as fusion factor, when present in cells that do not contain fusion factor, or in both situations. We found that wild type infected cells fuse to the same extent with each other as with uninfected cells. Therefore fusion inhibitor is active when present in the same cell as fusion factor. Other experiments indicate that the inhibition activity can also cause a small decrease of fusion when fusion factor and fusion inhibitor are present in different, but neighboring, cells. Marked variations are found in the capacity of different cell types, such as human embryonic lung (HEDL) and HEp-2 to support fusion by particular syn mutants. The difference in fusion capacity of the two cell types may be due to a difference in a cellular factor affecting the activity of viral, fusion-associated molecules, and not to cell surface differences of the uninfected cells. (PCS)