Inhibition of Theiler's encephalomyelitis virus (GDVII strain) of mice by an intestinal mucopolysaccharide. II. Purification and properties of the mucopolysaccharide.

A mucopolysaccharide inhibitor of Theiler's GDVII virus has been purified from intestinal tissue of adult mice. The purified material has been shown to consist chiefly of carbohydrate. Following acid hydrolysis of the inhibitor, several amino adds were found to be present. The carbohydrate components shown to be present thus far are galactose, hexosamine, N-acetylhexosamine, methylpentose, hexurornic acid; an indication has been obtained that sedoheptulose is also present. The available evidence strongly suggests that this mucopolysaccharide, and not some other substance present in minute amounts, is the inhibitor of the GDVII virus.