Small angle x-ray scattering studies on adenovirus type 2 hexon.

Adenovirus type 2 hexons have been studied in solution by small angle X-ray scattering, and the following molecular parameters determined: radius of gyration (Rg) = 4.9 nm, molecular weight (M) = 310.000, invariant volume (Vinv) = 630 mn3, maximal distance (Dmax) = 14.5--15.5 nm. A diffraction pattern was obtained up to an angular increment of h = 2.5 nm-1. Various models for the hexon have been explored by calculating the diffraction pattern from the Debye formula for 1200 spheres arranged to define the scattering volume of each model. Models were first built according to electron micrographic results. Later, preliminary results of a crystallographic study were used for model building. The experimental pattern and the pattern resulting from the model determined by crystallographic methods were compared and showed good agreement.