Identification of a 65 000 dalton virion envelope protein of human cytomegalovirus.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) specific monoclonal antibodies were shown to react with a broadly migrating 65-52 kDa virion envelope protein. These antibodies efficiently neutralized CMV in vitro (greater than 98% plaque reduction), suggesting that this envelope protein was an important target of neutralizing antibodies. This virion envelope protein was shown to be antigenically and electrophoretically distinct from a more abundant 68 kDa virion protein. The relationship between these virion proteins is discussed.