Phospholipids in a measles virus persistent infection: modification of fatty acid metabolism and fatty acid composition of released virus.

The phospholipid metabolism of a measles virus persistently infected cell line, BGM/Hallé, was compared with that of uninfected BGM cells. Synthesis of phospholipid from the isotopic precursor [32P]phosphate was unaffected, but a significant increase in the synthesis of phospholipid from [3H-9,10(n)]palmitic acid was observed in persistently infected cells, reflecting an increase in the palmitic acid content of phospholipid previously described for these cells. The phospholipid composition of measles virus released from persistently infected cells was compared to that of virus from lytically infected BGM cells by radiolabelling to isotopic equilibrium and measuring the incorporation of labelled phosphatides into the virus particle. The incorporation and distribution of [32P]phosphate-labelled phosphatides in virus was similar in lytic and persistent infections. In contrast, the distribution of [3H]palmitic acid among the constituent phosphatides of virus released from the persistent infection was different, partly reflecting the altered saturated fatty acid composition of the phosphatides of the host cell.