title: Structure of the Top a-t component of alfalfa mosaic virus. A non-icosahedral virion.
abstract: Neutron-scattering in combination with quasi-elastic light-scattering and electron microscopy was used to derive a model for the capsid structure of the Top a-t component of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV-Ta-t). In the electron microscope, AMV-Ta-t appears as an irregular ellipsoidal particle with apparent dimensions 275 (+/- 31) A X 225 (+/- 22) A. Assuming that the particles are monodisperse, model calculations show that the neutron-scattering data are best explained by an oblate ellipsoidal shape for the virion with external dimensions 284 A X 284 A X 216 A. Based on this result, and in combination with the known composition of the virion, it is suggested that the capsid structure could be based on a deltahedron with 52 pointgroup symmetry and comprising 120 subunits. Such a model would imply a greater deviation from equivalent subunit interactions than normally necessary in icosahedral capsids. The neutron and photon correlation data, however, do not allow us to rule out the possibility that Top a-t is a slightly polydisperse preparation of irregular prolate shapes with mean dimensions 312 A X 232 A X 232 A. Both possibilities support the concept of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein being capable of a wide range of intersubunit interactions, this flexibility resulting in considerable polymorphism in capsid structures.
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008027:Light; D000455:Medicago sativa; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008954:Models, Biological; D009029:Mosaic Viruses / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009502:Neutrons; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014461:Ultracentrifugation; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins