Guanidine-dependent mutants of poliovirus: identification of three classes with different growth requirements.

Four mutants resistant to high (2.0 mM) guanidine were derived from a mutant resistant to intermediate (0.53 mM) levels of this drug. One of these mutants was found to be resistant to high guanidine and was shown to contain a mutation within 2C seen previously in this class of mutants, while lacking the mutation seen in the intermediate parent. The other three mutants were dependent on guanidine for growth and contained the mutation in 2C seen in the parental virus as well as a mutation seen previously in another dependent mutant. Comparison of the newly isolated dependent mutants to two previously described dependent mutants revealed that three classes of dependent mutants which vary in their requirements for optimal growth can be observed. We present a model for the interaction of guanidine with 2C that explains the occurrence of the three classes of dependent mutants.