Cytochalasin D accelerates the release of Newcastle disease virus from infected cells.

The role of the cellular cytoskeleton in Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection was explored in two ways. First, the extent of the association of viral proteins with the cytoskeletal fraction of chicken embryo cells was determined. NDV-infected cells, pulse-labelled with [35S]methionine with or without a subsequent chase, were fractionated into Triton X-100-soluble and cytoskeletal fractions. All NDV proteins become associated with the cytoskeletal fraction of cells subsequent to their synthesis. Mixing experiments provided evidence against nonspecific sticking of proteins with this cell fraction. Second, the functional significance of the cytoskeletal association was explored using the inhibitor cytochalasin D. In the presence of this inhibitor, the rate of release of radioactively labelled virions was accelerated 2.5-fold. Colchicine did not significantly alter the rate of virion release. Virus particles released from cytochalasin D-treated cells had the same density as virions released from untreated cells, but were slightly less infectious and contained less actin. These results suggest that functional microfilaments do not play an obligatory role in viral morphogenesis but rather function to slow virus particle release.