Resolution of the major poliovirus capsid polypeptides into doublets

Using the pH gradient electrophoretic technique of Vrijsen and Boeyé, the coat protein of poliovirus types 1 and 2 was resolved into six components, Cl to C6, instead of the classical VP1-2-3 (the much smaller polypeptide VP4 was excluded from this study). The multiple components ran true upon reelectrophoresis, and there were no technical artifacts. Their resolution did not depend on a particular method for the preparation or disruption of the virion. The C1–C6 components of pH gradient electrophoresis and the classical VP1–VP3 polypeptides were examined with regard to (i) their migration in normal and pH gradient reelectrophoresis and (ii) their kinetics of leucine incorporation in emetine-stopped pulses. It is concluded that C1 and C2 were both derived from VPl, C3 and C4 from VP2, and C5 and C6 from VP3.