Accumulation of a VZV mutant deleted for the IDE binding domain of gE at the cell surface and at the cell-cell junction.

<p>Melanoma cells were infected with VZV ROka or ROka68D32-71, fixed, and incubated with monoclonal antibody to VZV gE followed by FluoroNanogold-conjugated anti-mouse antibody and visualized by transmission electron microscopy. (A) Representative virions at cell-cell junctions are indicated with arrows. Magnification 12000×. The insets in panel A provide higher-power images of selected virions. (B) Representative virions on the cell surface are indicated with arrows. Magnification 5000×. (C) Quantification of gE-positive virions on the cell surface and at cell-cell junctions. Multiple cells from the experiment in panel A were coded and observed under a Hitachi H7500 transmission electron microscope. gE positive viral particles at cell surface and/or junctions were counted.