Temperature-sensitive mutants of measles virus produced from persistently infected HeLa cells.

A persistent infection with the Edmonston strain of measles virus was established in HeLa cells in the absence of measles virus antibody (HeLaPI cells). By hemadsorption or immunofluoresnce virtually 100 per cent of the cells possessed measles virus components. HeLaPI cells produced no interferon and were not resistant to superinfection with Newcastle disease virus. HeLaPI cells contained both smooth (15--18 nm) and rought (20--35 nm) nucleocapsids as detected by electron microscopy. The virus produced from the HeLaPI cells (MVPI) varied in titer between 1.5 X 10(2) and 5.5 X10(4) PFU/ml, had a smaller plque size and was more heat resistant than wild-type measles virus. MVPI was also found to be temperature-sensitive. The temperature-sensitivity of MVPI was determined by the efficiency of plaquing at 33 degrees and 39 degrees C in Vero cell monolayers. When HeLaPI cells were incubated at 33 degrees C, there was a 50-fold increase in virus production as well as a slight increase in the percentage of cells forming infectious centers compared to HeLaPI cells grown at 37 degrees C. MVPI readily established a persistent infection in HeLa cells which also rleased temperature-sensitive virus.