CHARACTERIZATION OF DIFFERENT ELECTROPHORETIC FORMS OF CAULIFLOWER MOSAIC-VIRUS VIRIONS (STRAIN CABB-S)

The electrophoretic forms of purified cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV), strain Cabb-S, were examined by electrophoresis on agarose gels. Thre e populations of viral particles were identified: a faster migrating c omponent (the form F) and two slower migrating components (the forms S and S'). When the different forms of virions, after excision from gel s, were subjected to analysis in SDS-polyacrylamide gel, the fast comp onent consisted of the 37 and 42 kDa coat proteins whereas the slow co mponents contained mainly the 39 kDa coat protein. However, there was no difference among the nucleic acids associated within the three form s. The biological significance of the different components is discusse d.