Volume 10, Number 2, February 2004

Ultrastructural Characterization of SARS Coronavirus

Cynthia S. Goldsmith,* Kathleen M. Tatti,* Thomas G. Ksiazek,* Pierre E. Rollin,* James A. Comer,* William W. Lee,* Paul A. Rota,* Bettina Bankamp,* William J. Bellini,* and Sherif R. Zaki*
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Figure 1. Assembly of severe acute respiratory syndrome–associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) particles in infected Vero E6 cells. A) Apposition of nucleocapsids (arrow) along membranes of the budding compartment as particles developed and budded. Nucleocapsids measure 6 nm in diameter and are mostly seen in cross-section. Some virions have an electron-lucent center, with the nucleocapsid juxtaposed to the envelope, while others are relatively dark when the nucleocapsid was present throughout the particle. Tannic acid pre-treatment enhances the visibility of the club-shaped viral projections (inset), which averaged 14 nm in length. B) SARS-CoV–infected cell with virus-containing vesicles, double-membrane vesicles (open arrow), and nucleocapsid inclusions (arrowhead). Note the vesicle with granular material interspersed among the virions (arrow). C) Higher magnification of a virus-containing vesicle with dark granular material. D) Tubular structures in a virus-containing vesicle. E) Virions in vesicles, which appeared to migrate toward and fuse with the plasma membrane. The characteristic lining of particles along the cell surface is seen. Bars: A, inset; B–D, 100 nm; E, 1 µm. Note: For a printable reproduction of this image, please see the PDF version.

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This page last reviewed March 2, 2004

Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention