Bacteriophage MS2: molecular weight and spatial distribution of the protein and RNA components by small-angle neutron scattering and virus counting.

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to extend the structural characterization of the MS2 phage by examining its physical characteristics in solution. Specifically, the contrast variation technique was employed to determine the molecular weight of the individual components of the MS2 virion (protein shell and genomic RNA) and the spatial relationship of the genomic RNA to its protein shell. A consequence of this work was to evaluate a novel particle counting instrument, the integrated virus detection system (IVDS) that, in combination with SANS, has the potential to provide rapid quantitative physical characterization of unidentified viruses and phage.