Cell lines and viruses were isolated from mouse hepatitis virus (MHV-A59) persistently-infected DBT cells at different times postinfection. Cloned cell lines had cured virus infection, displayed low levels of MHVR receptor expression and were progressively more resistance to MHV infection. MHV persistence was likely maintained by epigenetic expression of the MHVR receptor in subsets of these resistant cells and by the emergence of persistent viruses characterized by high affinity MHVR receptor usage. Persistent viruses also displayed higher affinity for alternative biliary glycoprotein receptors suggesting that receptor homologue scanning functioned in the maintenance of persistence. Importantly, persistent viruses isolated after 210 days postinfection efficiently replicated in human HepG2 cells, a hepatocarcinoma cell line, suggesting that persistence promotes the interspecies transfer of MHV.