J Gen Virol Try Microbiology Online
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J Gen Virol 89 (2008), 2029-2036; DOI 10.1099/vir.0.2008/000687-0

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Supplementary Material
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kittelmann, K.
Right arrow Articles by Jeske, H.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kittelmann, K.
Right arrow Articles by Jeske, H.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Kittelmann, K.
Right arrow Articles by Jeske, H.

Disassembly of African cassava mosaic virus

Katharina Kittelmann and Holger Jeske

Universität Stuttgart, Institute of Biology, Department of Molecular Biology and Plant Virology, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany

Correspondence
Holger Jeske
holger.jeske{at}bio.uni-stuttgart.de

The plant-infecting geminiviruses encapsidate their single-stranded DNA genome in characteristic twinned particles that are unique among viruses. These particles are formed by joining two incomplete T=1 icosahedra. African cassava mosaic virions were purified by density-gradient centrifugation from infected Nicotiana benthamiana plants and analysed for their stability with respect to pH changes and heat treatment by using electron microscopy. Negative staining and rotary shadowing revealed stable virions as well as isolated capsomeres between pH 4.0 and 8.5. At pH 9.0 and above, particles disintegrated, whereas they mainly aggregated at a pH below 6.0. Heating the preparations to 55 °C and above resulted in the complete loss of any discernible structure. A low proportion (approx. 10 %) of particles ejected their DNA within the pH range of 6.0–8.5. Most virions released their DNA at the top (15.9 %) or the shoulder (71.4 %) of the twin particles and only 12.7 % at the waist. Compared with the expected numbers of pentameric capsomeres at the top (9 %), the shoulder (45.5 %) or the waist (45.5 %), the results revealed a preferential DNA release from the top and shoulder of the geminate particle.

Supplementary material is available with the online version of this paper.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
INT J SYST EVOL MICROBIOL MICROBIOLOGY J GEN VIROL
J MED MICROBIOL ALL SGM JOURNALS
Copyright © 2008 by the Society for General Microbiology.