Analysis of simian virus 40 wild-type and mutant virions by agarose gel electrophoresis

Intact wild-type simian virus 40 particles can be separated and resolved from a temperature-sensitive mutant and from a number of other viruses by agarose gel electrophoresis. The relative mobilities of the viruses appear to be a function of both virion size and surface composition. The virions of a temperature-sensitive strain of simian virus 40, tsB204, have significantly greater mobility than those of wild-type simian virus 40, when electrophoresis was conducted toward the cathode at pH 5.0. When electrophoresis was performed toward the anode at pH 7.0, TSB204 viruses have a slightly slower mobility as compared with that of the wild type. The data indicated that the virions of tsB204 have a greater positive charge at their surface than those of wild-type particles. No differences were detected in the finger print patterns of the tryptic peptides of VP1 and VP3 of these two virus strains. Although it was not possible to identify the structural polypeptide directly affected by the tsB204 mutation, we have shown that this mutation affects charge distribution on the surface of the virion.