title: Visual representation by atomic force microscopy (AFM) of tomato spotted wilt virus ribonucleoproteins.
abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows the observation of biological material without fixation procedures. Here we present AFM images of ribonucleoproteins (nucleocapsids) derived from a plant infecting RNA virus (tomato spotted wilt virus, TSWV), which have been recorded in contact mode. The nucleocapsids, prepared from systemically infected leaves of tobacco, were spreaded on a glass surface and dried in air, and appeared as regularly formed rings, resembling the proposed pseudocircular and panhandle structure of encapsidated genomic RNA. Average values between 1300 and 2200 nm of nucleocapsid lengths could be related to dimensions estimated by electron microscopy, thereby validating a filamentous configuration of the TSWV ribonucleoproteins. However, to our knowledge regular, ring-like forms of ribonucleoproteins have not been obtained by electron microscopy, which rather showed an amorphous structure of the virus particles. Hence, the AFM approach provides a starting point for further detailed studies on TSWV ribonucleoprotein complexes.
authors.affiliation: Universität Rostock, Fachbereich Biowissenschaften, Abteilung Biochemie, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kellmann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liebisch
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piechulla
mesh_terms: D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D015151:Immunoblotting; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D017865:Tospovirus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins