A Small Iridescent Virus (Type 29) Isolated from Tenebrio molitor: a Comparison of its Proteins and Antigens with Six Other Iridescent Viruses

Abstract

Summary A small iridescent virus (type 29) has been isolated from the meal worm Tenebrio molitor. The virus is distinct from a number of previous isolates of small iridescent viruses (types 2, 6, 21, 22, 23 and 28) judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of its structural polypeptides. Immunodiffusion and immunoprecipitation tests showed that iridescent virus type 29 is related to types 22 and 23 but not types 2, 6, 21 and 28. The relationships between iridescent virus types 22, 23 and 29 were further studied by complement fixation and kinetic neutralization. Complement fixation tests confirmed that these viruses were related and showed that type 29 is distantly related to types 22 and 23 (which were more closely related to each other) though type 23 shares a closer relationship with type 29 than type 22. Kinetic neutralization experiments suggested a close relationship between types 29 and 23, and that both these viruses were remotely related to type 22. Low neutralization rate constants were obtained with these sera.