The Effect of 6K Protein of Sindbis Virus on Viral Maturation and Release

A small hydrophobic polypeptide of 55 amino acids, noted as the 6K protein, could be detected in purified preparations of Sindbis virions (SbV). 6K proteins become associated to the E2 protein after their cynthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and during their transport process from ER to the cell surface. The morphogenetical characteristics of 6K mutant (Cys38Ser) of SbV with acylation site replacement in the 6K protein showed that the behavior of 6K mutant is very similar to the E2 mu- tant of SbV w...