A low resolution structure of frog virus 3.

Abstract The structure of frog virus 3, a lipid containing deoxyribovirus, has been investigated with neutron scattering. A diameter of 1580 A is found, larger than previous estimation based on electron microscopy. The lipids are concentrated in a 40-A-thick layer at 85 A inside the virion. The virion is highly hydrated, mostly the large central core in which water occupies more than 80% of the volume. The molecular weight of frog virus 3 has been redetermined by neutrons and other physical techniques and is about 500 × 106 with a DNA weight content of 20%.