[Interaction of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus ts-mutants with cells].

An acute infection of HeLa cell cultures with a ts mutant of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus may have different outcomes ranging from formation of a chronic virus-carrier state to complete elimination of virus from the culture. One of the possibilities is also a short-time carrier state (up to 10 passages) of the virus genome apparently existing in the form of DNA-provirus. The carrier state of virus genetic material in this case is indicated by the infectivity of cellular DNA and the presence in it of sequences homologous to those of virion RNA. The genetic material of VEE virus in HeLa cell cultures with signs of infection of the integrative type is also demonstrable by its complementation with exogenous ts-mutants.