Interaction of mycoplasma virus type 2 with cellular components of Acholeplasma laidlawii strain JA1.

Mycoplasma virus type 2 was shown to adsorb specifically to intact cells, membranes, and lipoglycan of Acholeplasma laidlawii strain JA1 but not to these components of Acholeplasma oculi. The oligosaccharide chain of the lipoglycan defined the specificity of the receptor site since deacylation not only did not reduce adsorption but increased it threefold. Actual adsorption of virus to lipoglycan was demonstrated by sucrose density gradient separation of the virus-lipoglycan complex. A strain of A. laidlawii, JA1r, resistant to infection with mycoplasma virus type 2, was incapable of adsorbing the virus and was devoid of lipoglycan.