ST Feline Sarcoma Virus. Biological Characteristics and in vitro Propagation

Abstract

The biological properties and in vitro growth behavior of the Snyder-Theilen strain of feline sarcoma virus (ST-FSV) were determined. The virus replicated and induced cell transformation in feline embryo fibroblast cultures as well as in heterologous host cultures of human, canine, and porcine origin. Virus stocks were found to contain an excess of an associated, noncytopathogenic virus identical with the feline leukemia virus. Focus assays in feline embryo cultures gave “nondefective” “one-hit” titration patterns. The viral envelope characteristics established by viral neutralization and viral interference tests indicated that the ST-FSV is similar or identical with the Gardner-Arnstein strain of feline sarcoma virus and is a member of the subgroup B of the feline leukemia-sarcoma viruses.