Processing of the Encephalomyocarditis Virus Capsid Precursor Protein Studies in Rabbit Reticulocyte Lysates Incubated with N -Formyl-[ 35 S]Methionine-tRNA f Met

Abstract

Translation of encephalomyocarditis virus RNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysates in the presence of N -formyl-[ 35 S]methionine-tRNA f Met revealed that a small polypeptide is cleaved from the N-terminus of the capsid protein precursor, preA, by virus-coded protease activity. Therefore, this N-terminal segment comprising the translation initiation site is not conserved in any of the mature capsid proteins.