Enhancement of intracellular uncoating of adenovirus in HeLa cells in the presence of benzyl alcohol as a membrane fluidizer

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Abstract
The early extra- and intra-cellular interaction between adenovirus type 2 and HeLa cells was studied in the presence of benzyl alcohol as a fluidizing agent. The processes of virus attachment and internalization were not affected at 5–15 mM of benzyl alcohol at 25°C. Under the same conditions an enhancement by 45% at the most was demonstrated for the cell-mediated virion uncoating. By completely blocking virion internalization with 50 mM azide the uncoating was reduced to 20% of the normal level. The remaining surfacelocated uncoating was not affected by benzyl alcohol. It was demonstrated that an enhancement of the intracellular virion uncoating was followed by a raised production of the hexon antigen, which was interpreted as an increase in the specific infectivity of the virus.