Morphogenesis of poliovirus. II. Demonstration of a new intermediate, the proviron.

Poliovirus-infected cells contain a previously unrecognized particle which appears to be an intermediate in virion synthesis and therefore has been named proviron. It sediments at about 125S, contains the three procapsid proteins, VP-0, VP-1, and VP-3, and has 35S viral RNA. It is disrupted both by sodium dodecyl sulfate and EDTA but the RNA resists digestion by ribonuclease. Pulsechase experiments and studies employing the virus-specific inhibitor, guanidine, all indicate that the proviron is formed by combination of newly made RNA with the procapsid. Cleavage of VP-0 to form VP-2 and VP-4 follows formation of the provirion and would be the final step in poliovirus morphogenesis.