Uptake of poliovirus into the endosomal system of HeLa cells.

To understand the topology and mechanism of poliovirus uncoating, the question of whether intact virions can be endocytosed by the host cell was studied by a combination of various techniques. In order to prevent alteration of the virus to subviral particles, Hela cells were infected at 26 degrees C. At this temperature the majority of cell-associated virions remained at the plasma membrane, whereas a smaller amount accumulated in vesicles having the same mobility (upon free-flow electrophoresis) and migration behaviour on Nycodenz density gradients as early and late endosomes. Co-localization of native poliovirions with endosomal markers was verified by peroxidase-induced diaminobenzidine density-shift of endosomal vesicles. Internalization of poliovirions into endosomes makes it likely, but does not prove that viral RNA can be released into the cytoplasm from the vesicular compartment.