Purification of Potato Virus X and Preparation of Infectious Ribonucleic Acid by Degradation With Lithium Chloride

Abstract

Potato virus X (PVX) was one of the first plant viruses to be partially purified (Bawden and Pirie 1938). Purification by precipitation with salt solutions, however, resulted in aggregation of the particles. which became entwined to form extensive rope and netlike structures (Kleczkowski and Nixon 1950). Markham (1959) suggested that the problem of aggregation and the formation of gels when the virus is treated with salt solutions has prevented PYX from being extensively studied