title: Interaction of influenza and parainfluenza viruses with polycations, organic oligocations and chromosome preparations.
abstract: As evaluated by light scattering at 90 degrees, natural organic oligocations such as putrescine, spermidine and spermine interfered with myxovirus aggregates which were induced by the histone H2A and strongly amplified by shaking during incubation. In contrast, the synthetic oligocation 1.7-diamino heptane itself aggregated the virus particles, its action being unmodified by adding polycationic H2A in abundance. When human chromosome preparations treated with protamine solution and shaked during incubation were covered with a stable polycationic molecular layer, the chromosomes had become unstainable by the Giemsa method even if the dye was used in excess. Nevertheless, the affinity of influenza virus particles for protamine was so high that they were able to dissociate the protamine molecules from the preformed complexes reconstituting the affinity of chromosome preparations to Giemsa stain. The virus-caused shift in the staining ability of chromosomes did not occur when bacterial suspension was added instead of the viral one. The model of oligocationic relaxation and of polycation condensation accounting for the modulatory effects of polyamines is discussed.
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology; D006657:Histones / Q000494:pharmacology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008027:Light; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D011108:Polymers / Q000494:pharmacology; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D006657:Histones; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D011108:Polymers