Subunit structure of the glycoprotein complex of avian tumor virus

Envelope glycoprotein of avian tumor virus is linked by disulfide bonds in a structure that we have designated VGP to stand for viral glycoprotein. VGP appears to contain one molecule of gp85 and one of gp37. Under nonreducing conditions, VGP is the only glycoprotein component that is stable in the presence of ionic detergent, although in the presence of nonionic detergent two or more VGPs are associated in discrete complexes. The disulfide bonds linking viral glycoprotein are formed before release of virus from infected cells.