Abstract
The tobacco mosaic virus is used as a model molecular assembly to illustrate the basic potentialities of light scattering techniques (both static and dynamic) to undergraduates. The work has two objectives: a pedagogic one (introducing light scattering to undergraduate students) and a scientific one (stabilization of the virus molecular assembly structure by the nucleic acid). Students are first challenged to confirm the stabilization of the cylindrical shape of the virus by the nucleic acid, at pH and ionic strength conditions where the coat proteins alone do not self-assemble. The experimental intramolecular scattering factor is compared with the theoretical ones for several model geometries. The data clearly suggest that the geometry is, in fact, a rod. Comparing the experimental values of gyration radius and hydrodynamic radius with the theoretical expectations further confirms this conclusion. Moreover, the rod structure is maintained over a wider range of pH and ionic strength than that valid for the coat proteins alone. The experimental values of the diffusion coefficient and radius of gyration are compared with the theoretical expectations assuming the dimensions detected by electron microscopy techniques. In fact, both values are in agreement (length approximately 300 nm, radius approximately 20 nm).
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bloomfield V. A. Quasi-elastic light scattering applications in biochemistry and biology. Annu Rev Biophys Bioeng. 1981;10:421–450. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bb.10.060181.002225. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CASPAR D. L. ASSEMBLY AND STABILITY OF THE TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS PARTICLE. Adv Protein Chem. 1963;18:37–121. doi: 10.1016/s0065-3233(08)60268-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Espenes A., Press C. M., Rooijen N. V., Landsverk T. Apoptosis in phagocytotic cells of lymphoid tissues in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following administration of clodronate liposomes. Cell Tissue Res. 1997 Aug;289(2):323–331. doi: 10.1007/s004410050879. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Namba K., Stubbs G. Structure of tobacco mosaic virus at 3.6 A resolution: implications for assembly. Science. 1986 Mar 21;231(4744):1401–1406. doi: 10.1126/science.3952490. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WEBER F. N., Jr, ELTON R. M., KIM H. G., ROSE R. D., STEERE R. L., KUPKE D. W. Equilibrium sedimentation of uniform rods of tobacco mosaic virus. Science. 1963 Jun 7;140(3571):1090–1092. doi: 10.1126/science.140.3571.1090. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]