The photoinactivation of an RNA animal virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, with the aid of newly synthesized psoralen derivatives

Abstract

The newly synthesized psoralen derivatives, 4′ hydroxy-methyl 4,5′,8 trimethylpsoralen, 4′ methoxymethyl 4,5′,8 trimethylpsoralen, and 4′ aminomethyl 4,5′,8 trimethylpsoralen hydrochloride photoreact with the single-stranded RNA animal virus, Vesicular Stomatitis virus, VSV. This virus is inactivated 10 ³ times more effectively by photoreaction with these compounds than when photoreacted with 4,5′,8 trimethylpsoralen. Under these conditions the RNA virus remains more than 10 ³ times less sensitive to inactivation by these new photoreagents than were two double-stranded DNA viruses, Herpes Simplex type 2 (HSV-2) and Vaccinia. Preliminary evidence for the generality of this result is discussed.