Identification of the envelope surface glycoproteins of equine herpesvirus type 1.

The structural polypeptides of purified enveloped virions of the Army 183 strain of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) were examined by different analytical techniques to identify the envelope glycoproteins. Glycoproteins were identified by electrophoretic analysis in polyacrylamide slab gels of virus labelled in vivo with [3H]glucosamine or labelled enzymically in vitro with either UDP-[14C]galactose or sodium [3H]borohydride. Fluorograms revealed eleven glycoproteins (mol. wt. 260000, 150000, 138000, 90000, 87000, 65000, 62000, 60000, 50000, 46000, and 24000). These glycoproteins probably correspond to virion protein (VP) 1-2, 9b, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22a and 25 respectively, as designated in two other EHV-1 strains. In addition, a poorly resolved glucosamine-rich region (mol. wt. 250000 to 200000) corresponded to VP 3 to 8. The two isotopic surface labelling methods revealed that all the virus glycoproteins were exposed on the envelope surface.