DOUBLE-STRANDED RNAS AND PROTEINS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 34 NM VIRUS-PARTICLES OF THE CULTIVATED MUSHROOM AGARICUS-BISPORUS

Agaricus bisporus fruit bodies affected by La France disease contain a specific set of nine dsRNA molecules. A method was developed to isola te intact virus particles containing these dsRNAs. Using precautions t o limit proteolysis, virus particles 34 nm in diameter were banded in a Nycodenz gradient together with the nine disease-associated dsRNAs a nd three proteins of M(r) 120K, 115K and 90K. Two of these viral prote ins were easily cleaved by proteases present in the fruit bodies, with out affecting the morphological appearance, migration in Nycodenz dens ity gradients or dsRNA content of the virus.