MIXED-SUBUNIT CAPSIDS CAN BE ASSEMBLED IN-VITRO WITH COAT PROTEIN SUBUNITS FROM 2 CUCUMOVIRUSES

Virus particles were reassembled in vitro from tomato aspermy virus st rain V (V-TAV) RNA and a mixture of subunits prepared from V-TAV and S -35-labelled cucumber mosaic virus strain T (T-CMV). Immunodiffusion t ests showed that the reassembled particles reacted with polyclonal ant isera raised against both V-TAV and T-CMV. Radioactivity was found in the precipitin line formed between the reassembled particles and antis erum raised against T-CMV as well as in the precipitin line formed bet ween the reassembled particles and antiserum raised against V-TAV. Thi s shows that S-35-labelled T-CMV protein subunits were incorporated wi th V-TAV protein subunits into the same particles. Thus, coat proteins of V-TAV and T-CMV can coassemble and form mixed-subunit capsids in v itro.