A pH-dependent dissociation of poliovirus procapsids

At pH 7.6-8.2, poliovirus procapsids are dissociated in the cold to 14 S subunits which exhibit the same antigenicity and ability to be reassembled to empty capsids as naturally occurring 14 S subunits. The dissociation of the procapsids at pH 8.2 follows exponential kinetics. At pH 8.4 or 8.5, the procapsids are converted to 80 S H-antigenic, empty capsids.