FIG. 5.

VLP-mediated hemolysis. Hemolysis mediated by WT VLPs or ΔCM2 VLPs was measured using chicken erythrocytes. A total of 100 μl of VLP suspension in PBS was added to 0.5 ml of 2% (vol/vol) chicken erythrocytes in PBS at pH 7.0 and incubated on ice for 30 min. The mixture was centrifuged at 500 × g, and the pellet was suspended in 0.5 ml of saline buffered with 10 mM MES at various pH levels and incubated at 37°C for 60 min. The mixture was then centrifuged, and the supernatants were measured for the optical density at 540 nm (OD₅₄₀).