The effects of alkali and some simple organic substances on three plant viruses

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Abstract
Bushy stunt virus is the most resistant and potato virus "X" the least. The effects of alkali on tobacco mosaic virus are complex; gentle treatment may increase infectivity; more severe treatment causes loss of infectivity but not loss of serological activity; and severer treatment causes loss of all properties. With bushy stunt virus inactivation without loss of serological activity occurs over a wider pH range, and crystalline non-infective prepns. can be made from alkaline-treated material. Apparently similar crystalline, non-infective prepns. can be isolated from expressed sap allowed to age for some mos. In the presence of alkali, Na dodecyl sulphate readily destroys all the viruses, separating the nucleic acid from the proteins. With the exception of nicotine and arginine, which form with tobacco mosaic a reversible, fibrous precipitate, all the substances tested at concs. below 4M inactivate the viruses in neutral soln. Dilute solns. of these agents are often precipitants whereas conc. ones dissolve the products of denaturation. Inactivation of tobacco mosaic virus and potato virus "X" is usually accompanied by the separation of the nucleic acid from the protein; inactivation of bushy stunt virus is not.