Evidence for the presence of a hole in the capsid of turnip yellow mosaic virus after RNA release by freezing and thawing

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Abstract
Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) RNA escapes from viral capsids after freezing and thawing the virus, and the remaining capsids look very similar to natural capsids by EM after negative staining. In order to understand how an RNA of 2 .times. 106 daltons (33% virus by weight) can escape from a compact protein shell, artificial capsids formed after freezing TYMV and natural capsids produced in vivo in infected chinese cabbage plants were compared. Various physiocochemical techniques including analytical ultracentrifugation, X-ray scattering. X-ray diffraction and orientation in a magnetic field were used. Evidently, the escape of the RNA is accompanied by the formation of a hole in the capsid surface. The size of such a hole is estimated to 5-9 coat protein subunits.