Human rhinovirus HRV14 uncoats from early endosomes in the presence of bafilomycin

Determination of infectious progeny virus and in vivo labelling with [35S]methionine followed by immunoprecipitation demonstrates that the major receptor group human rhinovirus HRV14 is able to infect HeLa cells in the presence of the V‐ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A1. However, host cell shut off is delayed and viral yield is decreased in the presence of the drug. Uncoating can thus take place under conditions that prevent endosomal acidification indicating that it is catalysed by the viral receptor alone. Since transport is arrested in early endosomes upon inhibition of vesicle acidification, the data also suggest that productive uncoating takes place from early endocytic compartments.