Assembly of protein and nucleoprotein particles from extracted tobacco rattle virus protein and RNA.

Protein extracted from tobacco rattle virus by treatment with formic or acetic acid reassociated in vitro to form rings and tubular structures of indeterminiate lengths in 0.25 molar glycine at pH 7.5 to 9.5. When tobacco rattle virus RNA that had been extracted with phenol was incubated with the protein at 9 degrees C, particles with more regular lengths formed; these particles correspond in size and sedimentation properties to the short particles that normally accompany infection by tobacco rattle virus. The biological activity of the reconstitutted short particles was identical to that of native short particles.