Structural subunits of poliovirus particles by electron microscopy.

Electron microscopy of poliovirus particles and empty capsids under various conditions of specimen deposition and staining visualizes the dissociation products of these particles. The dissociation proceeds in steps; it begins with the expansion of particles and leads to the final product of the dissociation--a cluster of several sub-particles of equal size (approx. 100 A in diam.). A scheme of the dissociation is proposed on the basis of the observed intermediates.