Structural polypeptides of the murine coronavirus JHM

Abstract

Analysis by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that the purified coronavirus JHM contains six polypeptides. The apparent mol. wt. of the polypeptides (GP1, GP2, GP3, VP4, GP5 and VP6) are 170000; 125000; 97500; 60800; 24800 and 22700, respectively. Four polypeptides are glycosylated (GP1, GP2, GP3 and GP5). The analysis of particles obtained after limited proteolysis with pronase suggests that GP2 and GP3 are protruding from the lipid envelope and, together with GP1, form the spike layer. Protein VP6 and a part of GP5 are located within the lipid bilayer. Protein VP4 is susceptible to digestion at a concentration of pronase which changes the morphology of the virus particles making the interior of the virus accessible. Subviral particles produced after treatment with the detergent Nonidet P40 banded at a higher density than the virus and contained only VP4, GP5 and VP6.