Fig. 4: Immunization with ΔM27-MCMV elicits antibody responses similar to wt-MCMV infection in terms of quantity and antigens recognized.

BALB/c mice were infected i.p. with wt-MCMV or ΔM27-MCMV. At 21 dpi, serum samples were collected. Serum samples of 10 wt-MCMV and 10 ΔM27-MCMV-infected mice were pooled and used for the analysis of recognized MCMV antigens. a Mouse fibroblasts were infected with wt-MCMV. At 6 and 48 hpi, cells were lysed. b Mouse fibroblasts were infected with ΔIE1-MCMV⁸⁸ and the corresponding wt-MCMV control virus. At 6 hpi, cells were lysed. c Virus particles from the supernatant of wt-MCMV-infected fibroblasts were concentrated by ultracentrifugation through a 15% sucrose cushion and lysed. Lysates of concentrated virus particles were mock-treated or digested with PNGase F. a–c Immunoblot analyses were performed using serum samples of wt-MCMV or ΔM27-MCMV-infected mice for detection of MCMV proteins. Uncropped scans are provided in Supplementary Fig. 2.