The structural proteins of an arenavirus pathogen, Machupo virus, were compared to the structural proteins of two previously characterized non-pathogenic arenaviruses, Pichinde and Tacaribe, in SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Similarities in mol. wt. of the major structural proteins from both pathogenic and non-pathogenic viruses were apparent; however, some differences in the number of glycosylation properties of minor proteins were observed.