Proteins specified by African swine fever virus. II. Analysis of proteins in infected cells and antigenic properties.

Infection of MS cells with African swine fever virus (ASFV) produces inhibition of protein synthesis which is detectable from 4.5 hours after infection. At least 34 viral polypeptides have been indentified with molecular weights ranging between 9500 and 243,000 daltons. Three of these proteins show affinity for the cell nucleus and nine are in both the nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions. Ten early proteins were found, and most of the structural proteins were late proteins. Most of the proteins are synthesized within the first 8 hours after infection. At least nine proteins induced antibodies in the natural infection. Six of these proteins are structural proteins. The antigenic determinants of VP172, VP162, VP146, VP73, VP34, and IP23.5 are in the primary structure of the proteins.