Application of a general equation for controlled pore glass permeation chromatography to an aggregating. Spherical virus.

A semi-empirical permeation chromatography equation relating pore size, species size and elution coefficient, which had previously been derived from chromatographic data of narrow-molecular-weight dextrans on controlled pore glass, was applied to the chromatography of an aggregating virus particle. A large number of chromatographic runs on columns of different pore sizes were combined and statistically evaluated. The resulting diameter distribution versus infectivity curve for the virus particle population shows distinct maxima at multiples of 50 nm. This unit size agrees with electron microscopical observations and confirms the applicability of the chromatography equation.