Isolation and characterization of conglutinin as an influenza A virus inhibitor

Normal horse and guinea pig sera contain alpha 2-macroglobulin which inhibits the infectivity and hemagglutinating activity of influenza A viruses of the H2 and H3 subtypes. On the other hand, normal bovine serum contains a component termed beta inhibitor that inhibits the infectivity and hemagglutinating activity of influenza A viruses of the H1 and H3 subtypes. To investigate the nature of the beta inhibitor of influenza A virus, we purified the conglutinin and examined its characteristics. First, we found a high correlation between the hemagglutination inhibition(HI) titer and conglutinin titer in several bovine sera (r = 0.906, p less than 0.005). The HI of bovine serum was mainly dependent on conglutinin because the HI activity was abrogated by N-acetylglucosamine but not by D-mannose. The conglutinin, purified from bovine serum, had neutralizing-activity as well as HI activity on influenza A viruses of the H1 and H3 subtypes. The HI activity of conglutinin was heat stable (56 degrees C, 30 min), Ca(++)-dependent, and resistant to both neuraminidase and periodate treatments. The HI activity of purified conglutinin was blocked by N-acetylglucosamine but not by D-mannose. The conglutinin was bound to hemagglutinin which had high mannose and complex sugar chains and its binding was inhibited by N-acetylglucosamine and dependent on divalent cations. These data indicate that the beta-like inhibitor activity of bovine serum is mainly dependent on conglutinin which inhibits hemagglutination and neutralizes the virus infectivity by its binding to a carbohydrate site at the HA.     

Analysis of the bovine respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein (F) using monoclonal antibodies

Seven monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) fusion (F) protein were produced and characterized by radioimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays. These seven MAbs together with the previously described MAbs (Beeler and Van Wyke Coelingh, 1989) to the F protein of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) were used to study the antigenic variation of 12 strains of ungulate RSV. All except one MAbs specific for the HRSV-F protein reacted with ungulate RSV strains less efficiently, indicating that some epitopes are conserved, and others are not conserved on the F proteins of HRSV and BRSV strains. Three MAbs specific to the BRSV-F protein neutralized virus infectivity and reacted with all the ungulate RSV strains, suggesting that these epitopes are well conserved. Based on the reactivity of three other MAbs specific to the BRSV-F protein, ungulate RSVs could be grouped into two subgroups. The results indicated that there are antigenic variations in the F protein among ungulate RSV strains.     

Glycoproteins E2 of the Venezuelan and eastern equine encephalomyelitis viruses contain multiple cross-reactive epitopes

Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with sixty types of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was used to study cross-reactive epitopes on the attenuated and virulent strains of the Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) viruses. All three structural proteins of the EEE and VEE viruses were demonstrated to have both cross-reactive and specific antigenic determinants. The glycoprotein E1 of EEE and VEE viruses possesses three cross-reactive epitopes for binding to MAbs. The glycoprotein E2 has a cluster of epitopes for 20 cross-reacting MAbs produced to EEE and VEE viruses. Cross-reactive epitopes were localised within five different sites of glycoprotein E2 of VEE virus and within four sites of that of the EEE virus. There are no cross-neutralising MAbs to the VEE and EEE viruses. Only one type of the protective Mabs was able to cross-protect mice against lethal infection by the virulent strains of the VEE and EEE viruses. Eight MAbs blocked the hemagglutination activity (HA) of both viruses. Antigenic alterations of neutralising and protective sites were revealed for all attenuated strains of the VEE and EEE viruses. Comparative studies of the E2 proteins amino acid sequences show that the antigenic modifications observed with the attenuated strains of the VEE virus may be caused by multiple amino acid changes in positions 7, 62, 120, 192 and 209-213. The escape-variants of the VEE virus obtained with cross-reactive MAbs 7D1, 2D4 and 7A6 have mutations of the E2 protein at positions 59, 212-213 and 232, respectively. Amino acid sequences in these regions of the VEE and EEE viruses are not homologous. These observations indicate that cross-reactive MAbs are capable of recognising discontinuous epitopes on the E2 glycoprotein.     

Adaptation of Sindbis virus to BHK cells selects for use of heparan sulfate as an attachment receptor

Attachment of Sindbis virus to the cell surface glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate (HS) and the selection of this phenotype by cell culture adaptation were investigated. Virus (TR339) was derived from a cDNA clone representing the consensus sequence of strain AR339 (K. L. McKnight, D. A. Simpson, S. C. Lin, T. A. Knott, J. M. Polo, D. F. Pence, D. B. Johannsen, H. W. Heidner, N. L. Davis, and R. E. Johnston, J. Virol. 70:1981-1989, 1996) and from mutant clones containing either one or two dominant cell culture adaptations in the E2 structural glycoprotein (Arg instead of Ser at E2 position 1 [designated TRSB]) or this mutation plus Arg for Ser at E2 114 [designated TRSB-R114]). The consensus virus, TR339, bound to baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells very poorly. The mutation in TRSB increased binding 10- to 50-fold, and the additional mutation in TRSB-R114 increased binding 3- to 5-fold over TRSB. The magnitude of binding was positively correlated with the degree of cell culture adaptation and with attenuation of these viruses in neonatal mice. HS was identified as the attachment receptor for the mutant viruses by the following experimental results. (i) Low concentrations of soluble heparin inhibited plaque formation on and binding of mutant viruses to BHK cells by >95%. In contrast, TR339 showed minimal inhibition at high concentrations. (ii) Binding and infectivity of TRSB-R114 was sensitive to digestion of cell surface HS with heparinase III, and TRSB was sensitive to both heparinase I and heparinase III. TR339 infectivity was only slightly affected by either digestion. (iii) Radiolabeled TRSB and TRSB-R114 attached efficiently to heparin-agarose beads in binding assays, while TR339 showed virtually no binding. (iv) Binding and infectivity of TRSB and TRSB-R114, but not TR339, were greatly reduced on Chinese hamster ovary cells deficient in HS specifically or all glycosaminoglycans. (v) High-multiplicity-of-infection passage of TR339 on BHK cell cultures resulted in rapid coselection of high-affinity binding to BHK cells and attachment to heparin-agarose beads. Sequencing of the passaged virus population revealed a mutation from Glu to Lys at E2 70, a mutation common to many laboratory strains of Sindbis virus. These results suggest that TR339, the most virulent virus tested, attaches to cells through a low-affinity, primarily HS-independent mechanism. Adaptive mutations, selected during cell culture growth of Sindbis virus, enhance binding and infectivity by allowing the virus to attach by an alternative mechanism that is dependent on the presence of cell surface HS.     

Characterization of haemagglutinin-esterase protein (HE) of murine corona virus DVIM by monoclonal antibodies

We analyzed the characteristics of seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) raised against purified HE (hemagglutinin-esterase) glycoprotein of the murine coronavirus DVIM (diarrhea virus of infant mice). Immunocrossreaction of these mAbs with JHM and/or MHV-S suggest that antigenic epitopes of HE of DVIM are similar to those of JHM and/or MHV-S. Four mAbs (1b4, 3a28, 4c19, 10b7), designated as group A mAbs, strongly inhibited both HA and AE activities. On the other hand, three mAbs (5a3, 6a6, 13a4), referred to as group B, had a comparatively weak HA inhibition activity. These results indicate that the antigenic epitopes of this glycoprotein can be classified into at least two groups and that the functional sites of HA and AE activities are similar but not identical. Neutralizing activity was shown in group A mAbs exclusively, suggesting that the ratio of HA and/or AE activities may play important roles in the cell fusion activity of DVIM-infected cells.     

Effects of bafilomycin A1 on Japanese encephalitis virus in C6/36 mosquito cells

Involvement of intracellular acidic compartments in the early phase of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus infection of C6/36 mosquito cells was examined by bafilomycin A1, a specific inhibitor of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase). Dose dependent reduction of viral envelope protein (E) produced into the infected culture fluid was observed by pretreating the cells with 0.25 to 1.0 microM bafilomycin A1. In synchronized infection, cell surface-bound virions were internalized immediately by heating at 31 degrees C, followed by the release of nucleocapsid into the cytosol within a short lag period. Subcellular distribution of infecting 3H-uridine-labeled viral RNA (V-RNA) and its RNase sensitivity were analyzed by fractionation in Percoll density gradient centrifugation. At a 10 min chasing period, an RNase resistant V-RNA peak was found in fractions with a mean density of 1.05 g/ml corresponding to the endosome, while an RNase sensitive V-RNA peak was detected at density range of 1.052-1.054 g/ml corresponding to the ribosome in C6/36 cell homogenate. The results indicate that JE virus infection in C6/36 cells proceeded through the endocytic pathway involving intracellular acidic compartments which was affected by bafilomycin A1.     

Epitope insertion favors a six transmembrane domain model for the carboxy-terminal portion of the multidrug resistance-associated protein

The overexpression of the multidrug resistance protein, MRP, in mammalian cells is associated with pleiotropic resistance to cytotoxic drugs. MRP is an integral membrane protein which belongs to the family of ATP-binding cassette transporters. Secondary structure predictions combined with biochemical analyses suggest that MRP encodes 11 transmembrane (TM) domains in the amino-terminal half of the protein and four or six transmembrane domains in the carboxy-terminal half of the protein. To gain insight into the membrane topology of the carboxy-terminal half of MRP, small, antigenic hemagglutinin (HA) epitopes (YPYDVPDYAS) were inserted within six predicted hydrophilic subfragments of this region (938, 1001, 1084, 1175, 1222, 1295). These epitope-tagged MRP variants were expressed in HeLa cells to evaluate their ability to confer resistance to the drug etoposide (VP-16). Insertion of the HA epitopes at positions 938, 1001, and 1222 resulted in functional proteins, while epitope insertion at positions 1084, 1175, and 1295 abrogated MRP function. The intracellular versus extracellular location of the HA epitopes present in biologically active MRP variants was then established in intact and permeabilized cells by immunofluorescence using an anti-HA antibody. Epitopes inserted at positions 1001 and 1222 were located on the extracellular side of the plasma membrane, while the epitope inserted at position 938 was located intracellularly. These results are consistent with a six TM rather than a four TM domain model for the membrane portion of the carboxy-terminal half of MRP.     

The TC21 oncoprotein interacts with the Ral guanosine nucleotide dissociation factor

Serum specimens were collected from 6 species of animals living in 9 states of Malaysia including Sabah, North Borneo in 1993. Antibodies against Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus in these sera were detected by means of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and neutralization (NT) tests. By HI test, 702 of 2,152 (32.6%) sera showed positive results. Higher positive rates were obtained by the NT test, in which 1,787 of 1,927 (92.7%) sera had antibodies against JE virus. All serum specimens with positive HI were confirmed as positive by the NT. Swine sera showed especially higher rates of antibody positive and higher antibody titers compared with other animals. These results suggest that JE infections are widely distributed among many animals of Malaysia, and pig is the most susceptible amplifier host for JE virus.     

N-terminal and central regions of the human CD44 extracellular domain participate in cell surface hyaluronan binding

CD44 molecules are cell surface receptors for hyaluronan (HA). To define regions of the extracellular domain of CD44 that are important for HA binding, we have studied the ability of HA-blocking CD44 mAbs to bind to CD44 from a variety of sources. Five CD44 mAbs (5F12, BRIC235, 3F12, BU-75, and HP2/9) of 21 studied were identified that at least partially blocked FITC-labeled HA (HA-FITC) binding to the standard form of CD44 (CD44S) in CD44-transfected Jurkat cells. Analysis of reactivity of HA-blocking CD44 mAbs defined three distinct epitopes. Lack of reactivity of mAb 5F12 with a CD44 fusion protein (CD44-Rg) containing an N-terminal truncation of 20 amino acids (aa), as well as reactivity of mAb 5F12 with an N-terminal CD44 synthetic peptide (CD44-9A), demonstrated that the N-terminal proximal region of CD44 (aa 1 to 20) was involved in mAb 5F12 binding. A mutant cell line, CEM-NKR, derived from the T-ALL cell line, CEM, did not bind mAb 5F12 nor bind HA, whereas wild-type CEM did bind mAb 5F12 and HA. Sequence analysis of wild-type CEM and CEM-NKR CD44 cDNA demonstrated a G to A point mutation at position 575 in the CD44 cDNA of CEM-NKR, resulting in an arginine to histidine mutation at aa position 154. Taken together, our studies demonstrated that there are three epitopes to which HA-blocking mAbs bind in the extracellular domain of CD44, and that the CD44 N-terminal proximal and central regions are two regions in the extracellular domain of CD44 that may interact and either mediate or regulate HA binding to cell surface CD44.     

Relations in families with a mentally retarded child from the perspective of the siblings

Five monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against Indian reference/vaccine strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus subtype A22 (IND17/77) and a guinea pig antibody against a synthetic peptide representing amino acids (aa) 136-151 of VP1 polypeptide of A22 virus were used in the study. All the antibodies either failed to react or showed a reduced reactivity with trypsin-treated (TT)-146 S virus particles in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and could neutralize the infectivity of the reference virus. The antibodies were hence identified as specific to a trypsin-sensitive neutralizable antigenic site of the virus. Using the antibodies we isolated mutants which showed either no or reduced reactivity with the homologous as well as heterologous antibodies in ELISA. The mutants could not be neutralized with the respective antibodies but were efficiently neutralized with the serum from vaccinated cattle (BVS). These results indicated that the antibodies elicited in cattle following vaccination protected them adequately against the mutants selected and that the trypsin-sensitive neutralizable antigenic site of FMD A22 virus as identified by the MoAbs may not be dominant in eliciting a neutralizing antibody response in vaccinated cattle.     

Epitope tag mapping of the extracellular and cytoplasmic domains of the rat parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related peptide receptor

The PTH/PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) receptor is predicted to span the plasma membrane seven times with an amino-terminal extracellular extension and a cytoplasmic carboxyl-terminal tail. To assess this prediction, we inserted 10- or 9-amino acid epitope tags from c-myc or hemophilus influenza hemaglutinin (HA), which are recognized by the monoclonal antibodies 9E10 and 12Ca5, respectively, in different extracellular and cytoplasmic regions of the receptor and examined the immunoreactivity of the epitopes in intact and permeabilized cells. The data show that the epitopes were well tolerated when introduced into the E2 region of the extracellular amino-terminus (E2-myc and E2-HA), in the first extracellular loop (EL1), in the second and third cytoplasmic loops (CL2c and CL3), or in the carboxyl-terminal tail (T-myc). Receptors tagged at these locations were well expressed, bound PTH with high affinity, and increased cAMP accumulation with a good efficiency. Receptors tagged in the second and third extracellular loops (EL2c and EL3c) or the first cytoplasmic loop (CL1c) bound the PTH radioligand with a low affinity, stimulated cAMP accumulation with a low efficiency, and had low expression levels. The receptors tagged on presumed extracellular regions, E2-myc, E2-HA, EL1, EL2c, and EL3c, were readily detected on the surface of intact cells with the monoclonal antibody against the epitope tag. In contrast, receptors tagged with the c-myc epitope in the cytoplasmic loops (CL1c, CL2c, and CL3) or in the carboxyl-terminal tail (T-myc) did not show any 9E10 binding in intact cells. These receptors, however, were well expressed on the cell surface, as detected by the binding of the monoclonal antibody, 12Ca5, to the HA tag that was introduced into the E2 region of these constructs. The c-myc epitopes, however, became accessible after permeabilization of the cell membrane. In conclusion, these data provide experimental evidence for the sidedness of the extracellular and cytoplasmic domains of the PTH/PTHrP receptor.     

Avian paramyxovirus type 1 from pigeons: isolate characterization and pathogenicity after chicken or embryo passage of selected isolates

Nine pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 isolates from the United States and Canada were characterized and three of the isolates were pathotyped before and after passage in chickens and serial passage in chicken embryos. One isolate previously passaged in Madin Darby bovine kidney cells was also pathotyped after chicken and embryo passage. Hemagglutination (HA) titers of all isolates were low when tested by microtiter procedures and all were negative by rapid-plate HA. The HA titers were increased by a factor of 8 to 32 by Tween-ether treatment, and treated antigen had the same reactivity as untreated antigen in hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests. All isolates had a slow elution rate and an HA thermostability equal to or greater than 60 minutes. Mean death times in embryos were 99 hours or greater, except for one isolate with a mean death time of 81 hours, and intracerebral pathogenicity indices of all isolates were greater than 1. Antigenic differences among the pigeon isolates were identified by three different binding patterns in HI tests against a battery of five Newcastle disease virus (NDV) monoclonal antibodies. Pathogenicity enhancement by bird, embryo, or cell passage was limited to an intravenous pathogenicity index increase for one of three viruses passaged in embryonated eggs. Cloacal samples collected during chicken passage contained higher virus titers than did oral samples. The pigeon isolates reported here, like those of earlier reports, have properties that prevent characterization within a single NDV pathotype. Finally, there was no evidence that any of these isolates was highly virulent for chickens.     

Improved mimicry of a foot-and-mouth disease virus antigenic site by a viral peptide displayed on beta-galactosidase surface

A major antigenic site (site A) of foot-and-mouth disease virus includes multiple overlapping epitopes located within the flexible G-H loop of capsid protein VP1. We have studied the antigenicity of several recombinant E. coli beta-galactosidases displaying the site A from a serotype C virus in different surface regions of the bacterial enzyme. In each one of the explored insertion sites, the recombinant peptide shows different specificity with a set of anti-virus monoclonal antibodies directed to site A. In some of them, the inserted stretch mimics better than free or haemocyanin-coupled peptide the antigenicity of site A in the intact virus. In particular, an insertion within an exposed loop involved in the activating interface of beta-galactosidase (amino acids 272 to 287) led to a significant improvement of the overall reactivity. Since insertions at this site renders proteins enzymatically active, the activating interface could be an adequate place for the presentation of foreign antigens in correctly assembled beta-galactosidase tetramers. These results also suggest that anti-virus antibodies directed against the major antigenic site of FMDV recognize different conformations of the G-H loop, which are better reproduced in some of the recombinant proteins because of the dissimilar restrictions imposed by each particular insertion site.     

Immunological study of Japanese encephalitis virus--serological analysis of strains isolated from Thailand, India, Singapore and Taiwan

Antigenic comparison of the twenty-two Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus strains, which were isolated from Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand and India between 1963 and 1984, was carried out by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test using the 15 monoclonal antibodies characterized by the different reactivities against Nakayama-RFVL, Beijing 1, Kamiyama, Muar or 691004 strain. Of these twenty-two strains, the seventeen strains reacted with the Kamiyama type-specific monoclonal antibody (KAMIMA 6), but anti-Nakayama, anti-Beijing 1 and anti-Muar type-specific antibodies showed no reactivities with any of the strains. This suggested that the currently prevalent JE virus strains in these areas belonged to the Kamiyama serotype. The other five strains (ThCMP 1982, KE083, KE093, 733913 and Ling) did not react with the above four type-specific monoclonal antibodies. Of these five strains, however, all except the KE093 strain showed a similar pattern to the Kamiyama strain on the basis of the HI reactivities against the other eleven antibodies. The KE093 isolated from Thailand in 1983 showed immunologically outstanding different from the other strains. This result showed the immunological diversity of the JE virus.     

Characterization of the epidermal growth factor receptor in pig oviduct and endometrium

Two different plaque variants of Japanese encephalitis virus were selected from a wild-type Taiwanese isolate using Vero cells. One variant was found to exhibit small plaque morphology with retarded virus replication kinetics in Vero cells, and was demonstrated to be resistant to monoclonal antibody (mAb) E3.3 neutralization. The other variant showed large plaque morphology, was sensitive to mAb E3.3 neutralization, and manifested reduced virulence in mice on both intracranial and intraperitoneal inoculations. These two variants propagated in Vero cells retained high levels of infectivity but had relatively low HA titers as compared with the parent strain. The envelope sequences of these two variants showed four amino acid differences at residues E-85 (Glu/Arg), E-306 (Glu/Gly), E-331 (Ser/Arg), and E-387 (Met/Arg). Our results indicated the neutralizing epitope of Japanese encephalitis virus did not overlap with virus virulence determinant.     

Two dominant neutralizing antigenic determinants of canine parvovirus are found on the threefold spike of the virus capsid

The 25-nm diameter parvovirus capsid is assembled from 60 copies of a sequence common to the overlapping VP1 and VP2 proteins. Here we examine the epitope specificity's of 28 monoclonal antibodies (MAb) prepared against canine parvovirus (CPV), feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), and raccoon-dog parvovirus or blue (Arctic) fox parvovirus. Comparing the reactivity of those MAb with various MAb-selected escape mutants, or with natural variants of CPV or mink enteritis virus (MEV) which differ at known sequences, showed that the binding of 20 of those MAb was strongly affected by variations of two regions on the threefold spike of the CPV capsid. One region was adjacent to the tip of the threefold spike, and the second was around VP2 residue 300, on the shoulder of that structure. MAb recognizing both antigenic sites efficiently neutralized the virus infectivity and inhibited hemagglutination. Mutations leading to natural antigenic variation have also been observed in both those sites in naturally variant strains of CPV or MEV, suggesting that they are important antigenic structures on these parvoviruses. The bindings of several MAb were not affected by the mutations at those antigenic sites, indicating that they recognized other, and perhaps conserved, structures.     

Preferential selection of receptor-binding variants of influenza virus hemagglutinin by the neutralizing antibody repertoire of transgenic mice expressing a human immunoglobulin mu minigene

An analysis was made of the neutralizing antibody repertoire, for influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) of transgenic mice expressing a human immunoglobulin mu (IgH) minigene, by monoclonal antibody (MAb) selection and sequencing of the HA genes of X31 (H3N2 subtype) laboratory variants. Whereas previously reported laboratory variants, selected in ovo with high-affinity murine MAbs of the IgG class, differed from wild-type virus by a single amino acid residue change in one of the major antigenic sites, neutralizing MAbs from transgenic donors selected novel variant viruses with altered receptor-binding specificity and contained residue changes in both the receptor-binding pocket (HA1 225 or HA1 226) and an antigenic site (HA1 135, HA1 145, or HA1 158). Changes in receptor-binding specificities of the variant viruses were confirmed by their resistance to inhibition by horse serum glycoproteins and altered binding to neoglycoproteins. The residue changes in variant virus V-21.2 (HA1 135 G-->R, 225 G-->D) abrogated neutralization by each of the MAbs; nevertheless V-21.2 was recognized by its own selecting MAb in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and therefore qualified as an adsorptive mutant rather than an antigenic variant. We consider that a low-affinity neutralizing antibody response may preferentially select for receptor-binding variants of influenza virus HA.     

Molecular analysis of the Gal/GalNAc adhesin of Entamoeba histolytica

Attachment of Entamoeba histolytica to colonic epithelium and a variety of other target cells is mediated by a galactose/N-acetyl D-galactosamine (Gal/GalNAc) inhibitable adhesin. Seven monoclonal antibodies specific for nonoverlapping epitopes of the 170 kDa subunit have been shown to have distinct effects on adherence. Four of these monoclonal antibodies inhibit or have no effect on amebic adherence while two others enhance amebic adherence. The epitopes recognized by these seven monoclonal antibodies have been mapped to the extracellular cysteine rich region of the 170 kDa subunit. The conformational nature of the epitopes was examined by testing monoclonal antibody reactivity with isolated regions of the 170 kDa subunit expressed as fusion proteins in E. coli and also with denatured native adhesin. These analyses suggested that three of monoclonal antibodies recognized conformational epitopes while the remaining four recognized linear epitopes. The mapping of these monoclonal antibodies have identified functionally important regions of the Gal/GalNAc adhesin and have also shown that recombinant Gal/GalNAc adhesin, when expressed in E.coli, retained at least some of its native conformation.     

A single amino acid change in the E2 glycoprotein of Sindbis virus confers neurovirulence by altering an early step of virus replication

Amino acid changes in the envelope glycoproteins of Sindbis virus have been linked to neurovirulence; however, the molecular mechanisms by which these amino acid changes alter neurovirulence are not known. Recombinant-virus studies have mapped an important determinant of neurovirulence in adult mice to a single amino acid change, glutamine to histidine, at position 55 of the E2 glycoprotein (P. C. Tucker, E. G. Strauss, R. J. Kuhn, J. H. Strauss, and D. E. Griffin, J. Virol. 67:4605-4610, 1993). To investigate how histidine confers neurovirulence, we examined the various stages of the virus life cycle in neural (N18) and nonneural (BHK) cells. In BHK cells, recombinant viruses 633 (E255Q) and TE (E255H) replicated similarly. In contrast, in N18 neuroblastoma cells, TE established infection more efficiently, replicated faster, and achieved higher rates of virus release than did 633. Viral structural protein synthesis was similar in 633- and TE-infected BHK cells, while in N18 cells, structural protein synthesis was detected only in TE-infected cells at 6 h and remained higher for at least 16 h postinfection. Viral RNA synthesis was initiated more rapidly and was up to fivefold greater in TE- versus 633-infected N18 cells. Taken together with other data demonstrating minimal effects on virus binding and entry (P. C. Tucker, S. H. Lee, N. Bui, D. Martinie, and D. E. Griffin, J. Virol. 71:6106-6112, 1997), these data suggest that E2 position 55 plays an important role at early stages of infection of neural cells, thereby facilitating neurovirulence.