Vaccinia virus structural polypeptide derived from a high-molecular-weight precursor: formation and integration into virus particles.

Polypeptide 4a, a major vaccinia structural polypeptide which was previously shown to form from a high-molecular-weight precursor is made after the period of viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that a period of 1 to 2 hr is required for a 50% conversion of precursor to product. The rates of incorporation of polypeptides into virus particles were examined. The kinetics of incorporation of labeled 4a and other major structural polypeptides into virus particles were similar, despite the additional time required for the formation of 4a from its precursor. Furthermore, 4a was present exclusively in a particulate form at all times examined. Both observations suggested that cleavage of the precursor occurs after, or immediately prior to, association with developing virus particles. Polypeptide P4a was previously identified as the probable precursor of 4a and is not ordinarily found in detectable amounts in virus particles. Under conditions in which breakdown of P4a was inhibited by adding rifampin or amino acid analogues after the period of viral DNA synthesis, isolated virus particles contained significant amounts of this polypeptide. Further analysis showed that P4a was localized within the virus core, which is also the site of 4a. Synchronization of virus assembly after the removal of rifampin was shown to be useful for studying the integration of polypeptides into a particulate fraction of the cytoplasm.