Freeze-drying is an effective method for preserving infectious type C retroviruses.
Conventional freeze-drying techniques using a sucrose stabilizer and gelatin can be employed to preserve the infectivity of retroviruses. Lyophilized virus retains its infectivity even at room temperature for more than one year. A lyophilized virus preparation of Friend leukemia virus kept at 4 degrees C for more than 20 years was found to contain high titers of infectious pathogenic virus. This technique offers an easy economic means for shipping type C viruses and for preserving them for long periods of time in the laboratory without the need for cold storage.
D000406:AKR murine leukemia virus / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005622:Friend murine leukemia virus / Q000502:physiology; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000209:etiology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000502:physiology; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence