XC cell fusion by murine leukemia viruses: fusion from without.

Concentrated murine leukemia virus (MuLV) or MuLV producing cells induce XC cell fusion within an hour leading to syncytia formation. While MuLV inactivated by UV irradiation, beta-propiolactone or hydroxylamine treatment still caused cell fusion, Bromelin- or trypsin treated MuLV was no longer able to fuse XC cells. Though sonicated MuLV induced no XC cell fusion, it interfered with cell fusion as caused by untreated MuLV. XC cells infected by diluted MuLV of a titer lower than 1 X 10(5) PFU/ml formed no syncytia although they produced MuLV. The cell fusion mechanism is discussed.