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The inactivation of plant viruses by radiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

D. E. Lea  and
Kenneth M. Smith
D. E. Lea
Affiliation:
Strangeways Research Laboratory and Plant Virus Research Station, Cambridge
Kenneth M. Smith
Affiliation:
Strangeways Research Laboratory and Plant Virus Research Station, Cambridge
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Extract

Experiments on the inactivation of various plant virus preparations by ultra-violet light and by X-rays are described. The curves obtained by plotting against the dose of radiation the number of lesions obtained on inoculation of a test plant are exponential and the rate of inactivation is proportional to the intensity of the radiation. The inactivation curves obtained with preparations of a given virus in different states of aggregation do not appear to be systematically different.

The discussion of these results shows that the particles in an aggregated virus suspension cannot be considered to be permanent clusters of elementary virus particles. Two possible alternatives which are compatible with the radiation experiments are discussed, either (a) the aggregation consists of the attachment of a single elementary virus particle to inert matter, or (b) the aggregation consists of a reversible union of elementary virus particles, there being a dynamic equilibrium between the aggregates which are constantly dissociating and the elementary particles which are constantly aggregating. The dose of X-radiation required for inactivation of the virus is consistent with the view that inactivation is caused by the production of a single ionization in the elementary virus particle, the size of which is approximately known from nitration experiments.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , November 1940 , pp. 405 - 416
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1940

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References

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