Abstract
We previously proposed that the assembly of tobacco mosaic virus is initiated by disks of 34 protein subunits attaching to the RNA, after which the particle grows by the addition of further disks. Other workers have reported growth from “A-protein” instead. We now report experiments that confirm our previous results and show that the contrary findings are largely due to a nonequilibrium form of A-protein that has a “memory” for the disk state and rapidly reaggregates, either in solution or on the growing particle.
Keywords: RNA-protein interactions, A-protein, disk state, subunits
Full text
PDFSelected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Butler P. J. Assembly of tobacco mosaic virus particle. Nature. 1971 Sep 3;233(5314):25–27. doi: 10.1038/233025a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Butler P. J., Klug A. Assembly of the particle of tobacco mosaic virus from RNA and disks of protein. Nat New Biol. 1971 Jan 13;229(2):47–50. doi: 10.1038/newbio229047a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Butler P. J. The mechanism and control of the assembly of tobacco mosaic virus from its RNA and protein disks. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1972;36:461–468. doi: 10.1101/sqb.1972.036.01.058. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Durham A. C., Klug A. Polymerization of tobacco mosaic virus protein and its control. Nat New Biol. 1971 Jan 13;229(2):42–46. doi: 10.1038/newbio229042a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Durham A. C. Structures and roles of the polymorphic forms of tobacco mosaic virus protein. I. Sedimentation studies. J Mol Biol. 1972 Jun 20;67(2):289–305. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(72)90242-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FRAENKEL-CONRAT H., SINGER B. RECONSTITUTION OF TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS. IV. INHIBITION BY ENZYMES AND OTHER PROTEINS, AND USE OF POLYNUCLEOTIDES. Virology. 1964 Jul;23:354–362. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(64)90257-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lonchampt M., Lebeurier G., Hirth L. Polymerization of tobacco mosaic virus protein in Na pyrophosphate. FEBS Lett. 1972 May 15;22(3):297–300. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(72)80255-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Richards K. E., Williams R. C. Assembly of tobacco mosaic virus in vitro: effect of state of polymerization of the protein component. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 May;69(5):1121–1124. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.5.1121. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]