Comparative analysis of the structural polypeptides of Ebola viruses from Sudan and Zaire.

Polypeptide structural analyses were performed by tryptic peptide mapping to assess the relationship between isolates of Ebola virus obtained in Sudan and Zaire. The results of these analyses indicate (1) that the Sudan and Zaire isolates are unique viral agents, (2) that multiple isolates within each group bear close resemblance to one another, (3) that suggestive evidence exists of conservation of homologous structure in the VP-2 (virion protein no. 2) nucleocapsid proteins of these viruses, and (4) that protein differences between the two Ebola virus subtypes appear to reside in the VP-1 and VP-3 virion polypeptides.