title: Visualization by atomic force microscopy of tobacco mosaic virus movement protein-RNA complexes formed in vitro.
abstract: The structure of complexes formed in vitro by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-coded movement protein (MP) with TMV RNA and short (890 nt) synthetic RNA transcripts was visualized by atomic force microscopy on a mica surface. MP molecules were found to be distributed along the chain of RNA and the structure of MP-RNA complexes depended on the molar MP:RNA ratios at which the complexes were formed. A rise in the molar MP:TMV RNA ratio from 20:1 to 60-100:1 resulted in an increase in the density of the MP packaging on TMV RNA and structural conversion of complexes from RNase-sensitive 'beads-on-a-string' into a 'thick string' form that was partly resistant to RNAse. The 'thick string'-type RNase-resistant complexes were also produced by short synthetic RNA transcripts at different MP:RNA ratios. The 'thick string' complexes are suggested to represent clusters of MP molecules cooperatively bound to discrete regions of TMV RNA and separated by protein-free RNA segments.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Chemistry1, Department of Virology and A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology2, Moscow State University, Vorobiovy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia.
authors.forename: O I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Kiselyova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Chemistry1, Department of Virology and A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology2, Moscow State University, Vorobiovy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia.
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Yaminsky
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Chemistry1, Department of Virology and A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology2, Moscow State University, Vorobiovy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Karger
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Chemistry1, Department of Virology and A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology2, Moscow State University, Vorobiovy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia.
authors.forename: O Yu
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Frolova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Chemistry1, Department of Virology and A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology2, Moscow State University, Vorobiovy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Dorokhov
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Chemistry1, Department of Virology and A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology2, Moscow State University, Vorobiovy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Atabekov
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008958:Models, Molecular; D053830:Plant Viral Movement Proteins; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011485:Protein Binding; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000821:virology; D014027:Tobacco Mosaic Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D053830:Plant Viral Movement Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012260:Ribonucleases; C011934:mica