A. S. Barsukova1, N. E. Fedorova2, A. A. Medzhidova2, O. V. Zatsepina1, and A. A. Kushch2
1Belozerskii Institute of Physicochemical Biology, Moscow State University, Vorob’evy gory, Moscow, 119899 Russia
2Ivanovsky Research Institute of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, ul. Gamalei 16, Moscow, 123098 Russia
Received July 11, 2000
Abstract—The effect of the cytomegalovirus on the cell cycle was studied autoradiographically in an asyn-
chronous culture of human diploid fibroblasts. The analysis of labeled mitosis showed that some cells infected
in the S phase ceased to progress through the cell cycle at one of its phases (S, G2, or M); at the same time, at
least part of the infected cells remained capable of entering mitosis. Beginning from day 2 after infection by
cytomegalovirus, the accumulation of pathological mitotic cells blocked at metaphase was observed in the cul-
ture. Approximately 50% of these cells contained 3H-thymidine label above chromosomes. This suggested the
possibility of pathological mitosis in cells that were infected both at the S and other phases of the cell cycle.
The detailed morphological analysis of chromosomes at different stages of infection demonstrated that the
degree of their morphological changes increases from slight (stronger condensation) to severe pathology (frag-
mentation). In the aggregate, the results of the study suggested that abnormal chromosome morphology resulted
from irreversible cell division arrest under the effect of the cytomegalovirus.
Key words: human cytomegalovirus, cell cycle, mitosis, chromosome morphology.
Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top
If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.