Characteristics of venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus ribonucleoprotein

Summary Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus grown in chick embryo fibroblasts was concentrated by differential centrifugation and purified in sucrose and caesium chloride density gradients. Treatment of the virus with Tween 80 and ether appeared to be the optimal method for obtaining biologically active subviral components. In experiments with sucrose density gradient centrifugation the sedimentation coefficient of the virus was about 380 S and that of virus ribonucleoprotein (RNP) was about 160 S. In experiments with caesium chloride equilibrium density centrifugation virions banded at the buoyant density of 1.25 g/cm³ and virus RNP banded at 1.42 g/cm³.