Purification and partial characterization of maize mosaic virus

Leaf extracts containing maize mosaic virus (MMV) were purified by treatment with activated charcoal followed by filtration through Celite. Virus was concentrated from the filtrate by sedimentation onto a sucrose pad and then further purified by centrifugation in a 20--50% continuous sucrose density gradient. Buoyant density of virus particles in sucrose solution was 1.181 g/ml. Nucleic acid extracted from virus preparations reacted with orcinol and behaved like RNA in Pederson's diphenylamine test. It was digested by pancreatic RNase and apparently is single-stranded RNA. Virus preparations also contained lipids. The morphology and constituents of MMV particles are therefore those expected for a rhabdovirus.