Bovine herpesvirus type 1 gp87 mediates both attachment of virions to susceptible cells and hemagglutination.

The 87,000-dalton glycoprotein (gp87) of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) was found to selectively attach to susceptible cells. The attachment of gp87 to the cells was markedly decreased by the prior adsorption of intact virions. Anti-gp87 (site Ia) monoclonal antibody, which inhibited BHV-1 adsorption to the cells and neutralized the virus without complement [Okazaki et al., Virology 250: 260-264], was effective in inhibiting the adsorption of gp87. Only the same antibody was able to inhibit the hemagglutination activity of BHV-1. Other monoclonal antibodies to the glycoproteins of BHV-1, including antibodies directed to sites Ib and Ic on gp87, were ineffective in inhibiting either virus adsorption or hemagglutination. The results of this study indicate that site Ia of gp87 molecule is the critical site of virus attachment for initiation of infection as well as the hemagglutination of BHV-1.