ELECTROSPRAY MASS-SPECTROMETRY FOR DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PURIFIED CRICKET PARALYSIS VIRUS (CRPV)

Electrospray mass spectrometry has been used to detect and characteriz e the capsid proteins of a non-disrupted sample of cricket paralysis v irus. By direct injection and by on-line liquid chromatography/mass sp ectrometry of the intact virus, three capsid proteins (VP1, VP2 and VP 3) were detected and their relative molecular masses (RMM) accurately determined. In addition to these proteins, a fourth polypeptide (RMM=6 012 Da) was detected which, by analogy with mammalian picornaviruses, may correspond to the capsid protein VP4. The finding of this latter p rotein now reduces the uncertainty of the classification of CrPV as a picornavirus.