Foot-and-mouth disease virus capsid proteins VP0, VP1 and VP3 synthesized by "in vitro" translation are the major components of 14S particles.

Translation of foot-and-mouth disease virus RNA in extracts of rabbit reticulocytes resulted in the synthesis and assembly of viral capsid protein into immature virion intermediate structures. The particles, which sedimented in the 14S zone of the sucrose gradient and contained only viral proteins VP0, VP1 and VP3 are believed to be pentameric associations of viral protomers.