Structure of RNA in satellite tobacco necrosis virus. A low resolution neutron diffraction study using 1H2O/2H2O solvent contrast variation.

The crystal structure of satellite tobacco necrosis virus has been studied by neutron diffraction at 16 A resolution using the technique of 1H2O/2H2O solvent contrast variation to distinguish between the regions of protein and nucleic acid. The RNA density is essentially localized in a region just inside the protein coat, leading to a significant interaction between the two components. From the appearance of the RNA density we conclude that the protein coat imposes partial icosahedral symmetry on a significant proportion of the nucleic acid. The shape and dimensions of the major part of this density suggests that about 72% of the total RNA could be double-helical in structure. The most important interaction between the two components of the virus occurs between the N-terminal triple-helical arms of the protein subunits and those regions of the RNA density that could have a double-helical secondary structure.