The polypeptides of human and mouse coronaviruses

Abstract

The polypeptide compositions of two coronaviruses, human coronavirus strain 229E (HCV 229E) and mouse hepatitis virus strain 3 (MHV3), were characterised on polyacrylamide gels. Similar polypeptide patterns were observed for both viruses consisting of large surface projection glycopolypeptides of mol. wt. 160,000 and 105,000 for HCV 229E, and 170,000 and 90,000 for MHV3, two small polypeptides of mol. wt. varying from 24,000 to 20,000, and a polypeptide of mol. wt. 50,000. The results are discussed with respect to previous reports of the polypeptides of these and other coronaviruses.