INVITRO SYNTHESIS OF COWPEA CHLOROTIC MOTTLE VIRUS POLYPEPTIDES

The ribonucleic acids of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus were separated by rate zonal centrifugation, followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. They were then translated in wheat germ extracts and rabbit reticulocyte lysates. It was confirmed that RNA 4 codes for a polypeptide of approx. 19,000 and RNA 3 is translated into a polypeptide of 32,000 daltons. RNAs 2 and 1 were each shown to code for polypeptides of approx. 105,000 daltons. Several smaller polypeptides were also synmthesized and these are probably incomplete products. Of the two minor RNA components (RNAs 5 and 6) found in isolated virions only RNA 5 could be translated, the major product being approx. 68,000 daltons.