Vaccinia virions deficient in transcription enzymes lack a nucleocapsid
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, FL (United States)
- Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR) Electron Microscopy and Bio-Imaging Laboratory, FL 32610 (United States)
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 (United States)
The poxvirus virion contains an inner tubular nucleocapsid structure. The nucleocapsid is apparently labile to conventional electron microscopy fixation procedures and has therefore been largely ignored for decades. Advancements in electron microscopy sample preparation, notably high pressure freezing, better preserve the nucleocapsid structure. Using high pressure freezing and electron microscopy, we have compared the virion structures of wt virus and mutant viruses known to be deficient in packaging of viral transcription enzymes. We show that the mutant viruses lack a defined nucleocapsid. These results support the hypothesis that the nucleocapsid contains the viral DNA genome complexed with viral transcription enzymes and structural proteins. The studies open the door to further investigation of the composition and ultrastructure of the poxvirus nucleocapsid.
- OSTI ID:
- 22150083
- Journal Information:
- Virology, Vol. 434, Issue 1; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0042-6822
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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