Sequential Steps in Attachment of Human Rhinovirus Type 2 to HeLa Cells

SUMMARY When human rhinovirus type 2 attaches to HeLa cells, it first forms a reversible complex which can be dissociated by addition of EDTA to the medium. After prolonged incubation at 25 °C, most of the cell-associated virus progresses to an irreversible complex from which it cannot be eluted by EDTA, although some noninfectious material elutes spontaneously. The addition of a sufficient concentration of SDS to block cell-mediated eclipse of the virus does not block the formation of the irreversible complex at 25 °C, while virus adsorbed and incubated at 0 °C remains reversibly bound. The number of receptor sites per cell is not influenced by SDS, but at 0 °C cells appear to have fewer receptor sites than at physiological temperature.