ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Guanidine, as much of the most recent work on the mechanism of action has been carried out with this inhibitor and poliovirus. It also discusses the effect of media on guanidine action. If cellular membranes contain receptors for guanidine and antiguanidines, host cell differences in the sensitivity to these compounds can be explained on the basis of differences in the chemical composition of membranes from different cells. Certain amino acids and choline block the virus-inhibitory action of guanidine, but have no effect on the action of 2-(a-hydroxybenzyl)-benzimidazole (HBB). HBB has provided a unique opportunity for structure-relationship studies and for investigation of viral functions with a number of echo- and coxsackieviruses. Viral biosynthesis is intimately associated with cytoplasmic membranes. It could be expected, therefore, that inhibition of viral biosynthesis by guanidine would affect the virus-induced changes in cytoplasmic membranes.
