Virus-induced changes of cell structures and functions

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses biochemistry related to virus-induced changes of cell cultures and functions. Viruses that cause cell destruction are usually referred to as cytocidal or cytopathic. The cytopathogenic effect of a virus is called cpe, and cell destruction is referred to as cytolysis. Vaccinia virus that is treated with ultraviolet light cannot replicate, but it still causes cpe when inoculated into cell cultures. Poliovirus infections can cause cell destruction even when protein synthesis is blocked. In vaccinia virus-infected cell cultures, two different phases of morphological change can be observed, one early phase that relates to the first four hours after the inoculation of culture and a late phase that occurs 12–24 h later in connection with the maturation and release of newly formed virus. Several different adenoviruses occur in man and animals. Human adenoviruses replicate lytically in human cells. Transformation can only be demonstrated after infection of rodent cells, which are non-permissive.