Biomaterial Database

Alterations of the conformation of the RNAs of alfalfa mosaic virus upon binding of a few coat protein molecules. 1982

S Srinivasan, and E M Jaspars

Structural changes in the single-stranded genome RNAs (RNAs 1, 2 and 3) and the subgenomic coat protein messenger (RNA 4) of alfalfa mosaic virus upon addition of a few coat protein molecules of the virus were investigated by measuring the fluorescent intensity of bound ethidium bromide and by circular dichroism. No effect could be observed in the case of the genome RNAs. However, in RNA 4, which is of much less complexity than the genome RNAs, a reduction of the ethidium bromide binding by 30% was found, whereas the positive molar ellipticity at 265 nm was reduced by 9% upon binding of the coat protein. Both changes point to a reduction of the ordered structure of the RNA. Since the protein is known to bind first at the 3'-terminus of RNA 4 and probably also of the genome RNAs, the conformational changes observed could be those thought to be necessary for replicase recognition in this positive-stranded RNa virus which needs the coat protein for starting an infection cycle.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D009029	Mosaic Viruses	Viruses which produce a mottled appearance of the leaves of plants.	Mosaic Virus,Virus, Mosaic,Viruses, Mosaic
D009690	Nucleic Acid Conformation	The spatial arrangement of the atoms of a nucleic acid or polynucleotide that results in its characteristic 3-dimensional shape.	DNA Conformation,RNA Conformation,Conformation, DNA,Conformation, Nucleic Acid,Conformation, RNA,Conformations, DNA,Conformations, Nucleic Acid,Conformations, RNA,DNA Conformations,Nucleic Acid Conformations,RNA Conformations
D011485	Protein Binding	The process in which substances, either endogenous or exogenous, bind to proteins, peptides, enzymes, protein precursors, or allied compounds. Specific protein-binding measures are often used as assays in diagnostic assessments.	Plasma Protein Binding Capacity,Binding, Protein
D002942	Circular Dichroism	A change from planar to elliptic polarization when an initially plane-polarized light wave traverses an optically active medium. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Circular Dichroism, Vibrational,Dichroism, Circular,Vibrational Circular Dichroism
D004996	Ethidium	A trypanocidal agent and possible antiviral agent that is widely used in experimental cell biology and biochemistry. Ethidium has several experimentally useful properties including binding to nucleic acids, noncompetitive inhibition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and fluorescence among others. It is most commonly used as the bromide.	Ethidium Bromide,Homidium Bromide,Novidium,Bromide, Ethidium,Bromide, Homidium
D000455	Medicago sativa	A plant species of the family FABACEAE widely cultivated for ANIMAL FEED.	Alfalfa,Lucerne
D012367	RNA, Viral	Ribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses.	Viral RNA
D014764	Viral Proteins	Proteins found in any species of virus.	Gene Products, Viral,Viral Gene Products,Viral Gene Proteins,Viral Protein,Protein, Viral,Proteins, Viral