| Abstract: | The dichroic ratio spectra of TMV and four of its mutants (YTAMV, GTAMV, HR, and CV4) were determined from 320 to 240 nm. Measurements were also made on particles of ATMV (TMV protein reconstituted with polyadenylic acid) and rods of repolymerized TMV, YTAMV and GTAMV protein, respectively. These cylindrical molecules were oriented in a flow gradient with their degree of orientation being determined from anisotropic light scattering measurements. Taking length distributions into account, the dichroic ratios were then extrapolated to values characteristic of perfect particle alignment. Due to the large number of overlapping absorbing bands in the whole viruses, it is very difficult to separate out specific contributions to the total spectra. Since, however, the spectra for the whole viruses were similar, this would suggest an overall likeness in structure for all the virus particles studied. Because the repolymerized proteins did not have the four RNA chromophoric groups present, their spectra would be more sensitive to protein contributions to the total spectrum. Repolymerized rods of YTAMVP yielded results similar to those for TMVP, while the spectrum for repolymerized rods of GTAMVP was significantly different from that obtained for TMVP. Dichroic ratio spectra of the nucleic acids, as they exist within the whole particles, were also calculated by subtracting protein absorptivities from their respective viral absorptivities. The spectra indicates similar results for the various nucleic acids in all the particles studied. |
