The Effect of Urea on Tobacco Mosaic Virus: Polarity of Disassembly

Abstract
Urea acts to disassemble tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) predominantly from the 5''-end of the virus RNA. Extensively uncoated particles exhibit some degree of bi-directional uncoating as judged by a reduced ability to bind [3H]histidine. The translational activities of the RNA fragments which remained encapsidated in the urea-resistant fraction of TMV rods were investigated.