Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. VII. Structural alterations of the virion by treatment with proteolytic enzymes without loss of infectivity.

Treatment of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus with proteolytic enzymes, hyaluronidase, and phospholipase C increased infectious titres. Biochemical analysis of bromelain- and trypsin-treated virus revealed that infectivity was high in spite of the decrease to low or undetectable levels of all viral glycoproteins as well as partial degradation of the nucleoprotein.