THE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF PURIFIED INFLUENZA VIRUS A (PR8 STRAIN) CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE PHOSPHORUS

Abstract

Purified influenza virus A (PR8 strain) was found to contain about 11% phospholipid and 5% nucleic acid in agreement with previously reported work. The method of Schmidt and Thannhauser, applied to the nucleic acid fraction of the virus, indicated the presence of 4.5% pentose nucleic acid and 0.3% desoxypentose nucleic acid. When influenza virus was grown in the allantoic membrane of the embryonated egg in the presence of inorganic radioactive phosphorus both phospholipid and nucleic acid components of the virus were found to contain the isotope. The specific radioactivity of the nucleic acid fraction was about four times that of the phospholipid.