title: Effects of temperature and shear force on infectivity of the baculovirus Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus.
abstract: Virus stability and infectivity during stressful conditions was assessed to establish guidelines for future virus filtration experiments and to contribute to the body of knowledge on a widely used virus. A recombinant baculovirus of Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), vHSGFP, was incubated at 15-65 degrees C. A 2-log decrease in virus infectivity occurred after virus incubation above 45 degrees C. The activation energy of virus deactivation was circa 108 kJ/mol. Dynamic light scattering revealed an increase in apparent virus particle size from 150+/-19 to 249+/-13 nm at 55 degrees C. Protein and DNA concentrations in solution correlated well with virus aggregation as temperature was increased. Infectivity of vHSGFP stored for 5 months at 4 degrees C or exposed to shear stress from stirring (100 rpm, 1.02x10(-5) psi) and pumping (50-250 ml/min, 1.45x10(-5) to 7.25x10(-5) psi) did not change with time. Unlike temperature variations, cold storage and shear stress appeared to have little impact on infectivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michalsky
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Pfromm
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Czermak
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sorensen
authors.forename: A Lorena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Passarelli