Virus-receptor interaction in an adenovirus system.

HeLa or KB cells each contain around 10(4) receptor sites for adenovirus type 2. These are inactivated by treatment of live cells with subtilisin. The receptor activity of the enzyme-treated cells is regained after 4 to 8 hr of incubation in complete medium. A technique that utilizes the difference in buoyant density between free virus and virus-receptor complex was developed to demonstrate receptor activity. Cellular fractionation revealed that receptors were confined mainly to the plasma membrane fraction and that negligible receptor activity could be demonstrated in enzyme-treated cells. Subtilisin probably did not penetrate the cell membrane; thus, the receptors are limited to the cell surface. Purified fiber of the virion completely prevents attachment of adenovirus types 2 and 5 to receptor sites at a ratio of 10(5) protein molecules per cell. Adsorption studies indicate that 10(5) to 10(6) receptor sites are available for the structural protein. The fiber does not affect attachment of poliovirus type 1.