The N and C Termini of the Coat Proteins of Potyviruses Are Surface-located and the N Terminus Contains the Major Virus-specific Epitopes

Abstract

Summary Mild proteolysis by trypsin of particles of six potyviruses (bean yellow mosaic virus, clover yellow vein virus, Johnson grass mosaic virus, passion-fruit woodiness virus, potato virus Y and watermelon mosaic virus II) revealed that the N- and C-terminal regions of their coat protein are exposed on the particles’ surfaces. The enzyme treatment removed the N-terminal region (30 to 67 amino acids long, depending on the virus) and 18 to 20 amino acids from the C terminus of the coat proteins, leaving a fully assembled virus particle composed of coat protein cores consisting of 216 or 218 amino acid residues. These core particles were indistinguishable from untreated native particles in an electron microscope and were still infectious. The core particles lacked the virus-specific surface epitopes that are recognized by the bulk of the polyclonal antibodies raised against the whole virus particles. Epitopes thought to be group-specific were located in the trypsin-resistant core protein region. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the similar surface location of the N- and C-terminal regions of the coat protein of other rod-shaped plant viruses and the observed common structural features displayed by isometric plant and animal viruses.