FIG 2.

Capsid protein expression and processing and capsid assembly. (A) Representative results of Western blot assays to compare the expression and processing of wt and mutant capsid protein VP3 (indicated by the corresponding labels). Lanes labeled M correspond to molecular weight markers. The positions of unprocessed polyprotein P1-2A and the processed product VP3 are indicated. (B) Percent yields of the mutant mature capsid protein VP3s relative to the yield of the wt control. For each mutant, the averaged value obtained from 2 independent experiments and the corresponding error bar (standard deviation) are indicated. (C) A representative example of the centrifugation analysis carried out to estimate relative capsid yields (in this case, the yield of mutant capsid E2011A is compared to that of the wt capsid, used as the internal control in the same experiment). The larger peaks correspond to assembled capsids; the minor peaks on the left correspond to free pentameric subunits. (D) Percent yields of different mutant assembled capsids relative to the yield of the wt control. For each mutant for which results are presented in panels B and D, the averaged value obtained from 2 independent experiments and the corresponding error bar (standard deviation) are indicated.