Antigenic phenotypes and complementation groups of temperature-sensitive mutants of simian virus 40.

The antigenic phenotypes of several temperature-sensitive mutants of simian virus 40 were determined by an immunofluorescence microtechnique that allowed a very high degree of internal control for the conditions of virus infection and antigenic staining. The tumor (T), U, capsid protein (C), and virion (V) antigens were investigated. Productive infection in monkey cells and abortive infection in mouse cells were simultaneously monitored for antigen production at both permissive and restrictive temperatures. Complementation analyses of the mutants demonstrated two complementing groups (A and B) and one noncomplementing group ((*)). One of the complementing groups could be subdivided into two subgroups having very different antigenic phenotypes. The following phenotypes were observed at the restrictive temperature in monkey cells. (i) The noncomplementing group produced none of the antigens. (ii) Group A induced T antigen in moderately but consistently reduced numbers of cells. Other antigens were markedly reduced or absent. (iii) Some of the group B mutants produced T antigen but little or no U and V antigens. The C antigen appeared in the nucleolus and cytoplasm of this subgroup. (iv) In the other group B mutants, antigen synthesis was not altered. Similar phenotypes were observed in mouse cells, except that U, C, and V antigens could not be detected during either the mutant or wild-type virus infections at any temperature.