[Structural study of influenza A virus virions using cryogenic methods].

The method of cryospalling was used to study formation of influenza A virus virion on the plasma membrane and to study the inner topography of virus membrane. This method is significantly superior to the others in that cryofixation of the native material constitutes one of its steps. The experiments showed that all budding virus particles were characteristically elongated and virions separating from the membrane acquired spherical shape. The mechanism of this phenomenon is discussed. Characteristics of four types of spalls of isolated virions are presented. An assumption is made with regard to the nature of intramembrane particles on the E-plane of influenza virion lipid membrane.