Figure 1. Effect of mild detergent treatment on virus particles.

(A) Electron microscopy analysis of particle structures. Immature or mature particles, respectively, prepared as described in materials and methods were adhered to formvar coated electron microscopy grids and treated for 10 min with 0.05% TX-100 in PBS. Detergent solution was removed and protein structures were visualized by negative staining according to standard procedures. Scale bars: 200 nm. (B) Decay of light scattering signal upon detergent mediated particle dissociation at 25°C. Light scatter intensities of immature (gray line) and mature (black line) HIV-1 particle suspensions in PBS were determined using an SLM AB2 spectrofluorometer at a wavelength of 436 nm. At t = 0, TX-100 was added to a final concentration of 0.05%. Data shown are normalized to scatter intensities measured before detergent addition; raw data are presented as part of Figure S1.