Le virus de la rubéole. I. Morphologie et protéines structurales

Abstract

Degradation of purified rubella virus by heat treatment (37, 45, or 56 degrees C) revealed the following structures. The viral envelope, a modified cellular membrane, bears spherical subunits, 5-6 nm in diameter, hexamers, or pentamers. Two glycoproteins, VP-2 (50 000 daltons) and VP-3 (63 000 daltons), are associated with the envelope. The nucleocapsid if formed by the condensation of the viral ribonucleic acid on acentral structure 10 nm in diameter. Only one protein, VP-1 (35 000 daltons) is present in the nucleocapsid. Similarity between rubella virus and Togaviruses is discussed.