Deproteinization of influenza virus in the presence of rimantadine.

Virion deproteinization and viral RNA transport to the isolated cell nuclei have been studied in the presence of rimantadine with rimantadine-sensitive influenza viruses fowl plague (H7N7), A/Krasnodar/101/59 (H2N2) and rimantadine-resistant influenza strains (WSN/H1N1 and A/Krasnodar/101/59-R). Rimantadine failed to affect deproteinization during incubation with the isolated cellular plasma membranes as well as the transport to isolated cell nuclei of the viral RNA of either sensitive or resistant strains of influenza virus. Using photosensitive viruses (labelled with neutral red) rimantadine exerted dissimilar effects on deproteinization of the sensitive and resistant influenza virus strains. The possible effects of rimantadine on influenza virus deproteinization is discussed.