Purification of Oncornaviruses by Agglutination with Concanavalin A

Concanavalin A (Con A) has been used to rapidly and selectively agglutinate murine and avian oncornavirions from culture medium or plasma. The agglutinated virus was concentrated rapidly and gently by low-speed centrifugation and solubilization with α -methyl mannoside. Infectious virus was purified 2.3 times with respect to nucleic-acid content, and more than 60% of its infectivity was recovered. Infectious particles of densities 1.18 and 1.16 g/cm3were found in mouse cells infected with Friend virus. Con A reacted only with particles of density 1.16 g/cm3, indicating heterogeneity with respect to carbohydrate content or structure as well as buoyant density. Electron microscopy of virus agglutinated with Con A showed a zone of Con A-glycoprotein complexes averaging 12-15 nm in thickness.