Structural Studies of Viruses

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the use of electron microscopy of negatively stained particles and X-ray diffraction in the structural studies of viruses. The technique that reveals by far the most structural detail in electron micrographs of virus particles is the negative staining method. The most detailed results have been obtained with some of the smaller viruses. The chapter describes those methods in detail because the methods used are generally applicable. The particular results obtained, especially regarding the distribution of stain around the virus particle, varies from virus to virus and for a given virus with the particular negative stain employed and the method of preparation for electron microscopy. The amount of detail visible in the electron microscope images of negatively stained virus preparations varies considerably with the particular negative stain used. Sodium phosphotungstate and similar compounds such as borotungstate are probably the most useful negative stains where gross external detail only is required.