Protein synthesis in Vero cells abortively infected with influenza B virus.

Growth of influenza B virus was found to be greatly restricted in Vero cells compared with that in MDCK cells. The analysis of protein synthesis in infected cells showed that the synthesis of M protein is selectively inhibited in abortive infection. Cell fractionation experiments demonstrated that the viral glycoproteins, HA and NA, migrate from rough membranes via smooth membranes to plasma membranes in abortive as well as in productive cells. These results suggest that intracellular migration of influenza B virus glycoproteins occurs independently of the synthesis of M protein although M protein synthesis appears to be required for the formation of virus particles.