Golgi processed foot-and-mouth disease virus proteins

The Golgi apparatus was isolated from infected baby hamster kidney cells by centrifugation through discontinuous sucrose gradients. Tritium-labeled protein samples were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic autoradiograms. Pulse-chase studies showed that the viral-induced RNA polymerase passed through the Golgi as infection progressed. Some viral coat proteins were also associated with the Golgi as were other as yet unidentified viral proteins (Fig. 1). Immune labeling of isolated and in situ Golgi confirmed the presence of viral RNA polymerase. The isolated (Fig. 2) and in situ Golgi were labeled with guinea pig antipolymerase antibody and ferritin-labeled goat anti-guinea pig sera to show the presence of viral RNA polymerase. Earlier work in this laboratory established that the RNA polymerase was bound to membranes of newly formed smooth vacuoles during infection with FMDV. The smaller protein on the gel in Fig. 1 (arrow) corresponds in size to VPg (a nonstructural protein bound to the 5' end of viral RNA) has also been shown to be membrane bound.