GENOME-ASSOCIATED PROTEINS OF COMO-VIRUSES

Previously, a protein has been reported to be associated with the RNAs of cowpea mosaic virus. Here we present evidence for genome-associated proteins of other comoviruses: squash mosaic virus, Echtes Ackerbohnemosaik-Virus, and another strain of cowpea mosaic virus. Although the proteins and protein-oligonucleotide complexes derived from the RNAs of these viruses showed similar patterns of electrophoretic mobility, two-dimensional chromatograms of their tryptic peptides were distinct. Chromatograms of peptides from preparations of cowpea mosaic virus that were isolated from two hosts were very similar, indicating that the genome-associated protein may be virus specified. Upon digestion with ribonuclease T1, RNAs from the viruses gave rise to a distribution of large oligonucleotides that is consistent with the presence of polyriboadenylate. © 1979.