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Abstract
Virus-like particle (VLP) technologies are based on virus-inspired artificial structures and the intrinsic ability of viral proteins to self-assemble at controlled conditions. Therefore, the basic knowledge about the mechanisms of viral particle formation is highly important for designing of industrial applications. As an alternative to genetic and chemical processes, different physical methods are frequently used for VLP construction, including well characterized protein complexes for introduction of foreign molecules in VLP structures.This chapter shortly discusses the mechanisms how the viruses form their perfectly ordered structures as well as the principles and most interesting application examples, how to exploit the structural and assembly/disassembly properties of viral structures for creation of new nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andris Zeltins
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
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52
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Fang PY, Bowman JC, Gómez Ramos L, Hsiao C, Williams LD. RNA: packaged and protected by VLPs. RSC Adv 2018; 8:21399-21406. [PMID: 35539947 PMCID: PMC9080931 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra02084a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
VLP packaging is most efficient for compact RNA, and protects RNA against assault by small diffusible damaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yu Fang
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Atlanta
- USA
| | - Jessica C. Bowman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Atlanta
- USA
| | - Lizzette M. Gómez Ramos
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Atlanta
- USA
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
| | - Chiaolong Hsiao
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences
- National Taiwan University
- Taipei 10617
- Republic of China
| | - Loren Dean Williams
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Atlanta
- USA
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53
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Muthukumar M. 50th Anniversary Perspective: A Perspective on Polyelectrolyte Solutions. Macromolecules 2017; 50:9528-9560. [PMID: 29296029 PMCID: PMC5746850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b01929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
From the beginning of life with the information-containing polymers until the present era of a plethora of water-based materials in health care industry and biotechnology, polyelectrolytes are ubiquitous with a broad range of structural and functional properties. The main attribute of polyelectrolyte solutions is that all molecules are strongly correlated both topologically and electrostatically in their neutralizing background of charged ions in highly polarizable solvent. These strong correlations and the necessary use of numerous variables in experiments on polyelectrolytes have presented immense challenges toward fundamental understanding of the various behaviors of charged polymeric systems. This Perspective presents the author's subjective summary of several conceptual advances and the remaining persistent challenges in the contexts of charge and size of polymers, structures in homogeneous solutions, thermodynamic instability and phase transitions, structural evolution with oppositely charged polymers, dynamics in polyelectrolyte solutions, kinetics of phase separation, mobility of charged macromolecules between compartments, and implications to biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Muthukumar
- Department of Polymer Science
and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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54
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Rayaprolu V, Moore A, Wang JCY, Goh BC, Perilla JR, Zlotnick A, Mukhopadhyay S. Length of encapsidated cargo impacts stability and structure of in vitro assembled alphavirus core-like particles. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2017; 29:484003. [PMID: 28975896 PMCID: PMC7103146 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/aa90d0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In vitro assembly of alphavirus nucleocapsid cores, called core-like particles (CLPs), requires a polyanionic cargo. There are no sequence or structure requirements to encapsidate single-stranded nucleic acid cargo. In this work, we wanted to determine how the length of the cargo impacts the stability and structure of the assembled CLPs. We hypothesized that cargo neutralizes the basic region of the alphavirus capsid protein and if the cargo is long enough, it will also act to scaffold the CP monomers together. Experimentally we found that CLPs encapsidating short 27mer oligonucleotides were less stable than CLPs encapsidating 48mer or 90mer oligonucleotides under different chemical and thermal conditions. Furthermore, cryo-EM studies showed there were structural differences between CLPs assembled with 27mer and 48mer cargo. To mimic the role of the cargo in CLP assembly we made a mutant (4D) where we substituted a cluster of four Lys residues in the CP with four Asp residues. We found that these few amino acid substitutions were enough to initiate CLP assembly in the absence of cargo. The cargo-free 4D CLPs show higher resistance to ionic strength and increased temperature compared to wild-type cargo containing CLPs suggesting their CLP assembly mechanism might also be different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vamseedhar Rayaprolu
- Departments of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America
| | - Alan Moore
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America
| | - Joseph Che-Yen Wang
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America
| | - Boon Chong Goh
- Physics and Beckman Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States of America
| | - Juan R Perilla
- Physics and Beckman Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States of America
- Center of Physics for Living Cells, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States of America
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America
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55
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Patel N, Wroblewski E, Leonov G, Phillips SEV, Tuma R, Twarock R, Stockley PG. Rewriting nature's assembly manual for a ssRNA virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:12255-12260. [PMID: 29087310 PMCID: PMC5699041 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1706951114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Satellite tobacco necrosis virus (STNV) is one of the smallest viruses known. Its genome encodes only its coat protein (CP) subunit, relying on the polymerase of its helper virus TNV for replication. The genome has been shown to contain a cryptic set of dispersed assembly signals in the form of stem-loops that each present a minimal CP-binding motif AXXA in the loops. The genomic fragment encompassing nucleotides 1-127 is predicted to contain five such packaging signals (PSs). We have used mutagenesis to determine the critical assembly features in this region. These include the CP-binding motif, the relative placement of PS stem-loops, their number, and their folding propensity. CP binding has an electrostatic contribution, but assembly nucleation is dominated by the recognition of the folded PSs in the RNA fragment. Mutation to remove all AXXA motifs in PSs throughout the genome yields an RNA that is unable to assemble efficiently. In contrast, when a synthetic 127-nt fragment encompassing improved PSs is swapped onto the RNA otherwise lacking CP recognition motifs, assembly is partially restored, although the virus-like particles created are incomplete, implying that PSs outside this region are required for correct assembly. Swapping this improved region into the wild-type STNV1 sequence results in a better assembly substrate than the viral RNA, producing complete capsids and outcompeting the wild-type genome in head-to-head competition. These data confirm details of the PS-mediated assembly mechanism for STNV and identify an efficient approach for production of stable virus-like particles encapsidating nonnative RNAs or other cargoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikesh Patel
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Wroblewski
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - German Leonov
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Simon E V Phillips
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Roman Tuma
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Reidun Twarock
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom;
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56
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Alam SB, Reade R, Theilmann J, Rochon D. Evidence for the role of basic amino acids in the coat protein arm region of Cucumber necrosis virus in particle assembly and selective encapsidation of viral RNA. Virology 2017; 512:83-94. [PMID: 28946005 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Cucumber necrosis virus (CNV) is a T = 3 icosahedral virus with a (+)ssRNA genome. The N-terminal CNV coat protein arm contains a conserved, highly basic sequence ("KGRKPR"), which we postulate is involved in RNA encapsidation during virion assembly. Seven mutants were constructed by altering the CNV "KGRKPR" sequence; the four basic residues were mutated to alanine individually, in pairs, or in total. Virion accumulation and vRNA encapsidation were significantly reduced in mutants containing two or four substitutions and virion morphology was also affected, where both T = 1 and intermediate-sized particles were produced. Mutants with two or four substitutions encapsidated significantly greater levels of truncated RNA than that of WT, suggesting that basic residues in the "KGRKPR" sequence are important for encapsidation of full-length CNV RNA. Interestingly, "KGRKPR" mutants also encapsidated relatively higher levels of host RNA, suggesting that the "KGRKPR" sequence also contributes to selective encapsidation of CNV RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Benazir Alam
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
| | - Ron Reade
- Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, B.C., Canada
| | - Jane Theilmann
- Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, B.C., Canada
| | - D'Ann Rochon
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, B.C., Canada.
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57
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Borodavka A, Dykeman EC, Schrimpf W, Lamb DC. Protein-mediated RNA folding governs sequence-specific interactions between rotavirus genome segments. eLife 2017; 6:27453. [PMID: 28922109 PMCID: PMC5621836 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Segmented RNA viruses are ubiquitous pathogens, which include influenza viruses and rotaviruses. A major challenge in understanding their assembly is the combinatorial problem of a non-random selection of a full genomic set of distinct RNAs. This process involves complex RNA-RNA and protein-RNA interactions, which are often obscured by non-specific binding at concentrations approaching in vivo assembly conditions. Here, we present direct experimental evidence of sequence-specific inter-segment interactions between rotavirus RNAs, taking place in a complex RNA- and protein-rich milieu. We show that binding of the rotavirus-encoded non-structural protein NSP2 to viral ssRNAs results in the remodeling of RNA, which is conducive to formation of stable inter-segment contacts. To identify the sites of these interactions, we have developed an RNA-RNA SELEX approach for mapping the sequences involved in inter-segment base-pairing. Our findings elucidate the molecular basis underlying inter-segment interactions in rotaviruses, paving the way for delineating similar RNA-RNA interactions that govern assembly of other segmented RNA viruses. Rotavirus is a highly infectious virus that affects children worldwide, causing severe diarrhoea. Despite the introduction of several highly effective vaccines, more than 200,000 children still die from rotavirus each year. There are currently no drugs that can combat this disease once a child has been infected. Viruses carry the instructions that determine their properties and behavior in molecules of DNA or RNA. Unlike many other viruses, which typically have a single molecule of DNA or RNA, rotavirus has 11 distinct “RNA segments”. After invading a cell the virus begins to replicate itself. During replication, the RNA segments (which consist of two strands of RNA paired together) are copied many times. It is not clear how rotaviruses ‘count’ up to 11 so that each new virus acquires a single copy of each segment. Previous biochemical and structural studies of rotavirus replication suggest that selecting 11 distinct RNA segments must involve the RNAs forming complex interactions with proteins and other RNA molecules. Using a highly sensitive fluorescence-based approach, termed fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy, Borodavka et al. now present direct experimental evidence of interactions between the RNA segments that occur via single strands of the rotavirus RNA. These RNA-RNA interactions require the binding of a rotavirus protein NSP2 to the RNA strands, which results in the remodeling of the RNA; this remodeling is required to form stable contacts between different RNA segments. Furthermore, a new experimental approach (called RNA-RNA SELEX) developed by Borodavka et al. identified the parts of the RNA segments that may take part in these interactions. The results presented by Borodavka et al. pave the way for identifying the RNA-RNA interactions that govern how other segmented RNA viruses can package their genetic material. Further work to uncover the entire RNA interaction network in rotaviruses would also accelerate the design of new vaccines and may help us to develop antiviral drugs to treat infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Borodavka
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,Department of Chemistry, Center for NanoScience, Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Eric C Dykeman
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, United Kingdom.,Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, United Kingdom.,Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Waldemar Schrimpf
- Department of Chemistry, Center for NanoScience, Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Don C Lamb
- Department of Chemistry, Center for NanoScience, Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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58
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Comas-Garcia M, Datta SA, Baker L, Varma R, Gudla PR, Rein A. Dissection of specific binding of HIV-1 Gag to the 'packaging signal' in viral RNA. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28726630 PMCID: PMC5531834 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective packaging of HIV-1 genomic RNA (gRNA) requires the presence of a cis-acting RNA element called the 'packaging signal' (Ψ). However, the mechanism by which Ψ promotes selective packaging of the gRNA is not well understood. We used fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and quenching data to monitor the binding of recombinant HIV-1 Gag protein to Cy5-tagged 190-base RNAs. At physiological ionic strength, Gag binds with very similar, nanomolar affinities to both Ψ-containing and control RNAs. We challenged these interactions by adding excess competing tRNA; introducing mutations in Gag; or raising the ionic strength. These modifications all revealed high specificity for Ψ. This specificity is evidently obscured in physiological salt by non-specific, predominantly electrostatic interactions. This nonspecific activity was attenuated by mutations in the MA, CA, and NC domains, including CA mutations disrupting Gag-Gag interaction. We propose that gRNA is selectively packaged because binding to Ψ nucleates virion assembly with particular efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Comas-Garcia
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, United States
| | - Siddhartha Ak Datta
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, United States
| | - Laura Baker
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, United States
| | | | - Prabhakar R Gudla
- Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, United States
| | - Alan Rein
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, United States
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59
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Poudel L, Twarock R, Steinmetz NF, Podgornik R, Ching WY. Impact of Hydrogen Bonding in the Binding Site between Capsid Protein and MS2 Bacteriophage ssRNA. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:6321-6330. [PMID: 28581757 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b02569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
MS2 presents a well-studied example of a single-stranded RNA virus for which the genomic RNA plays a pivotal role in the virus assembly process based on the packaging signal-mediated mechanism. Packaging signals (PSs) are multiple dispersed RNA sequence/structure motifs varying around a central recognition motif that interact in a specific way with the capsid protein in the assembly process. Although the discovery and identification of these PSs was based on bioinformatics and geometric approaches, in tandem with sophisticated experimental protocols, we approach this problem using large-scale ab initio computation centered on critical aspects of the consensus protein-RNA interactions recognition motif. DFT calculations are carried out on two nucleoprotein complexes: wild-type and mutated (PDB IDs: 1ZDH and 5MSF ). The calculated partial charge distribution of residues and the strength of hydrogen bonding (HB) between them enabled us to locate the exact binding sites with the strongest HBs, identified to be LYS43-A-4, ARG49-C-13, TYR85-C-5, and LYS61-C-5, due to the change in the sequence of the mutated RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokendra Poudel
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri-Kansas City , Kansas City, Missouri 64110, United States
| | - Reidun Twarock
- Department of Mathematics and Biology and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York , York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rudolf Podgornik
- Department of Theoretical Physics, J. Stefan Institute , SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana , SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Wai-Yim Ching
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri-Kansas City , Kansas City, Missouri 64110, United States
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60
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Patel N, White SJ, Thompson RF, Bingham R, Weiß EU, Maskell DP, Zlotnick A, Dykeman E, Tuma R, Twarock R, Ranson NA, Stockley PG. HBV RNA pre-genome encodes specific motifs that mediate interactions with the viral core protein that promote nucleocapsid assembly. Nat Microbiol 2017; 2:17098. [PMID: 28628133 PMCID: PMC5495169 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Formation of the hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid is an essential step in the viral lifecycle, but its assembly is not fully understood. We report the discovery of sequence-specific interactions between the viral pre-genome and the hepatitis B core protein that play roles in defining the nucleocapsid assembly pathway. Using RNA SELEX and bioinformatics, we identified multiple regions in the pre-genomic RNA with high affinity for core protein dimers. These RNAs form stem-loops with a conserved loop motif that trigger sequence-specific assembly of virus-like particles (VLPs) at much higher fidelity and yield than in the absence of RNA. The RNA oligos do not interact with preformed RNA-free VLPs, so their effects must occur during particle assembly. Asymmetric cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the T = 4 VLPs assembled in the presence of one of the RNAs reveals a unique internal feature connected to the main core protein shell via lobes of density. Biophysical assays suggest that this is a complex involving several RNA oligos interacting with the C-terminal arginine-rich domains of core protein. These core protein-RNA contacts may play one or more roles in regulating the organization of the pre-genome during nucleocapsid assembly, facilitating subsequent reverse transcription and acting as a nucleation complex for nucleocapsid assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikesh Patel
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Simon J White
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Rebecca F Thompson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Richard Bingham
- Departments of Biology and Mathematics & York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Eva U Weiß
- Departments of Biology and Mathematics & York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Daniel P Maskell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Eric Dykeman
- Departments of Biology and Mathematics & York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Roman Tuma
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Reidun Twarock
- Departments of Biology and Mathematics & York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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61
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Kondylis P, Zhou J, Harms ZD, Kneller AR, Lee LS, Zlotnick A, Jacobson SC. Nanofluidic Devices with 8 Pores in Series for Real-Time, Resistive-Pulse Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus Capsid Assembly. Anal Chem 2017; 89:4855-4862. [PMID: 28322548 PMCID: PMC5549943 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b04491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
To improve the precision of resistive-pulse measurements, we have used a focused ion beam instrument to mill nanofluidic devices with 2, 4, and 8 pores in series and compared their performance. The in-plane design facilitates the fabrication of multiple pores in series which, in turn, permits averaging of the series of pulses generated from each translocation event. The standard deviations (σ) of the pulse amplitude distributions decrease by 2.7-fold when the average amplitudes of eight pulses are compared to the amplitudes of single pulses. Similarly, standard deviations of the pore-to-pore time distributions decrease by 3.2-fold when the averages of the seven measurements from 8-pore devices are contrasted to single measurements from 2-pore devices. With signal averaging, the inherent uncertainty in the measurements decreases; consequently, the resolution (mean/σ) improves by a factor equal to the square root of the number of measurements. We took advantage of the improved size resolution of the 8-pore devices to analyze in real time the assembly of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) capsids below the pseudocritical concentration. We observe that abundances of assembly intermediates change over time. During the first hour of the reaction, the abundance of smaller intermediates decreased, whereas the abundance of larger intermediates with sizes closer to a T = 4 capsid remained constant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jinsheng Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - Zachary D. Harms
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | | | - Lye Siang Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
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62
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Fang PY, Gómez Ramos L, Holguin SY, Hsiao C, Bowman JC, Yang HW, Williams LD. Functional RNAs: combined assembly and packaging in VLPs. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:3519-3527. [PMID: 27903913 PMCID: PMC5399791 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe here a one pot RNA production, packaging and delivery system based on bacteriophage Qβ. We demonstrate a method for production of a novel RNAi scaffold, packaged within Qβ virus-like particles (VLPs). The RNAi scaffold is a general utility chimera that contains a functional RNA duplex with paired silencing and carrier sequences stabilized by a miR-30 stem-loop. The Qβ hairpin on the 5΄ end confers affinity for the Qβ coat protein (CP). Silencing sequences can include mature miRNAs and siRNAs, and can target essentially any desired mRNA. The VLP-RNAi assembles upon co-expression of CP and the RNAi scaffold in E. coli. The annealing of the scaffold to form functional RNAs is intramolecular and is therefore robust and concentration independent. We demonstrate dose- and time-dependent inhibition of GFP expression in human cells with VLP-RNAi. In addition, we target the 3΄UTR of oncogenic Ras mRNA and suppress Pan-Ras expression, which attenuates cell proliferation and promotes mortality of brain tumor cells. This combination of RNAi scaffold design with Qβ VLP packaging is demonstrated to be target-specific and efficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yu Fang
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Lizzette M. Gómez Ramos
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Stefany Y. Holguin
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Chiaolong Hsiao
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jessica C. Bowman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Hung-Wei Yang
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Loren Dean Williams
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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63
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Angelescu DG. Assembled viral-like nanoparticles from elastic capsomers and polyion. J Chem Phys 2017; 146:134902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4979496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
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64
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Shakeel S, Dykeman EC, White SJ, Ora A, Cockburn JJB, Butcher SJ, Stockley PG, Twarock R. Genomic RNA folding mediates assembly of human parechovirus. Nat Commun 2017; 8:5. [PMID: 28232749 PMCID: PMC5431903 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-016-0011-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Assembly of the major viral pathogens of the Picornaviridae family is poorly understood. Human parechovirus 1 is an example of such viruses that contains 60 short regions of ordered RNA density making identical contacts with the protein shell. We show here via a combination of RNA-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, bioinformatics analysis and reverse genetics that these RNA segments are bound to the coat proteins in a sequence-specific manner. Disruption of either the RNA coat protein recognition motif or its contact amino acid residues is deleterious for viral assembly. The data are consistent with RNA packaging signals playing essential roles in virion assembly. Their binding sites on the coat proteins are evolutionarily conserved across the Parechovirus genus, suggesting that they represent potential broad-spectrum anti-viral targets.The mechanism underlying packaging of genomic RNA into viral particles is not well understood for human parechoviruses. Here the authors identify short RNA motifs in the parechovirus genome that bind capsid proteins, providing approximately 60 specific interactions for virion assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabih Shakeel
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00790, Finland
| | - Eric C Dykeman
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Simon J White
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Ari Ora
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00790, Finland
- Department of Applied Physics and Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology, Aalto University, Espoo, 02150, Finland
| | - Joseph J B Cockburn
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sarah J Butcher
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00790, Finland.
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Reidun Twarock
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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65
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In situ structures of the genome and genome-delivery apparatus in a single-stranded RNA virus. Nature 2016; 541:112-116. [PMID: 27992877 PMCID: PMC5701785 DOI: 10.1038/nature20589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Genome packaging into a protein capsid and its subsequent delivery into a host cell are two fundamental processes in the life cycle of a virus. Unlike dsDNA viruses which pump their genome into a preformed capsid1-3, ssRNA viruses, such as bacteriophage MS2, co-assemble their capsid with genome4-7; however, the structural basis of this co-assembly is poorly understood. MS2 infects Escherichia coli via host “sex” pilus (F-pilus)8 and is the first fully-sequenced organism9 and a model system for studies of gene translational regulations10,11, RNA-protein interactions12-14, and RNA virus assembly15-17. Its positive-sense ssRNA genome of 3569 bases is enclosed in a capsid with one maturation protein (MP) monomer and 89 coat protein (CP) dimers arranged in a T=3 icosahedral lattice18,19. MP is responsible for attaching the virus to an F-pilus and delivering the viral genome into the host during infection8, but how the genome is organized and delivered are not known. Here we show the MS2 structure at 3.6Å resolution determined by electron-counting cryo electron microscopy (cryoEM) and asymmetric reconstruction. We traced ~80% backbone of the viral genome, built atomic models for 16 RNA stem-loops, and identified three conserved motifs of RNA-CP interactions among 15 of these stem-loops with diverse sequences. The stem-loop at 3’ end of the genome interacts extensively with the MP, which, with just a six-helix bundle and a six-stranded β-sheet, forms a genome-delivery apparatus, and joins 89 CP-dimers to form a capsid. This first atomic description of genome-capsid interactions in a spherical ssRNA virus provides insights into genome delivery via host “sex” pilus and mechanisms underlying ssRNA-capsid co-assembly, and inspires imaginations about links between nucleoprotein complexes and the origin of viruses.
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66
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Borodavka A, Singaram SW, Stockley PG, Gelbart WM, Ben-Shaul A, Tuma R. Sizes of Long RNA Molecules Are Determined by the Branching Patterns of Their Secondary Structures. Biophys J 2016; 111:2077-2085. [PMID: 27851933 PMCID: PMC5113152 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Long RNA molecules are at the core of gene regulation across all kingdoms of life, while also serving as genomes in RNA viruses. Few studies have addressed the basic physical properties of long single-stranded RNAs. Long RNAs with nonrepeating sequences usually adopt highly ramified secondary structures and are better described as branched polymers. To test whether a branched polymer model can estimate the overall sizes of large RNAs, we employed fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to examine the hydrodynamic radii of a broad spectrum of biologically important RNAs, ranging from viral genomes to long noncoding regulatory RNAs. The relative sizes of long RNAs measured at low ionic strength correspond well to those predicted by two theoretical approaches that treat the effective branching associated with secondary structure formation-one employing the Kramers theorem for calculating radii of gyration, and the other featuring the metric of maximum ladder distance. Upon addition of multivalent cations, most RNAs are found to be compacted as compared with their original, low ionic-strength sizes. These results suggest that sizes of long RNA molecules are determined by the branching pattern of their secondary structures. We also experimentally validate the proposed computational approaches for estimating hydrodynamic radii of single-stranded RNAs, which use generic RNA structure prediction tools and thus can be universally applied to a wide range of long RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Borodavka
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Surendra W Singaram
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; The Institute of Chemistry and Fritz Haber Research Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - William M Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Avinoam Ben-Shaul
- The Institute of Chemistry and Fritz Haber Research Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Roman Tuma
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
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67
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Koning RI, Gomez-Blanco J, Akopjana I, Vargas J, Kazaks A, Tars K, Carazo JM, Koster AJ. Asymmetric cryo-EM reconstruction of phage MS2 reveals genome structure in situ. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12524. [PMID: 27561669 PMCID: PMC5007439 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses, virus capsid assembly and genome packaging are intertwined processes. Using cryo-electron microscopy and single particle analysis we determined the asymmetric virion structure of bacteriophage MS2, which includes 178 copies of the coat protein, a single copy of the A-protein and the RNA genome. This reveals that in situ, the viral RNA genome can adopt a defined conformation. The RNA forms a branched network of stem-loops that almost all allocate near the capsid inner surface, while predominantly binding to coat protein dimers that are located in one-half of the capsid. This suggests that genomic RNA is highly involved in genome packaging and virion assembly. MS2 is a single-stranded RNA bacteriophage that infects its host via adsorption to bacterial pili. Here the authors visualize the MS2 virion with asymmetric cryo-EM reconstruction, revealing that the genome of MS2 adopts a specific structure of asymmetrically distributed stem-loops connected to the capsid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman I Koning
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Josue Gomez-Blanco
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Inara Akopjana
- Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Ratsupites 1, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - Javier Vargas
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Andris Kazaks
- Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Ratsupites 1, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - Kaspars Tars
- Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Ratsupites 1, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - José María Carazo
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Abraham J Koster
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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68
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Hellmund C, Lever AML. Coordination of Genomic RNA Packaging with Viral Assembly in HIV-1. Viruses 2016; 8:E192. [PMID: 27428992 PMCID: PMC4974527 DOI: 10.3390/v8070192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Revised: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The tremendous progress made in unraveling the complexities of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication has resulted in a library of drugs to target key aspects of the replication cycle of the virus. Yet, despite this accumulated wealth of knowledge, we still have much to learn about certain viral processes. One of these is virus assembly, where the viral genome and proteins come together to form infectious progeny. Here we review this topic from the perspective of how the route to production of an infectious virion is orchestrated by the viral genome, and we compare and contrast aspects of the assembly mechanisms employed by HIV-1 with those of other RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Hellmund
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Andrew M L Lever
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
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69
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Perlmutter JD, Mohajerani F, Hagan MF. Many-molecule encapsulation by an icosahedral shell. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27166515 PMCID: PMC4947392 DOI: 10.7554/elife.14078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We computationally study how an icosahedral shell assembles around hundreds of molecules. Such a process occurs during the formation of the carboxysome, a bacterial microcompartment that assembles around many copies of the enzymes ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase and carbonic anhydrase to facilitate carbon fixation in cyanobacteria. Our simulations identify two classes of assembly pathways leading to encapsulation of many-molecule cargoes. In one, shell assembly proceeds concomitantly with cargo condensation. In the other, the cargo first forms a dense globule; then, shell proteins assemble around and bud from the condensed cargo complex. Although the model is simplified, the simulations predict intermediates and closure mechanisms not accessible in experiments, and show how assembly can be tuned between these two pathways by modulating protein interactions. In addition to elucidating assembly pathways and critical control parameters for microcompartment assembly, our results may guide the reengineering of viruses as nanoreactors that self-assemble around their reactants. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14078.001 Bacterial microcompartments are protein shells that are found inside bacteria and enclose enzymes and other chemicals required for certain biological reactions. For example, the carboxysome is a type of microcompartment that enables the bacteria to convert the products of photosynthesis into sugars. During the formation of a microcompartment, the outer protein shell assembles around hundreds of enzymes and chemicals. This formation process is tightly controlled and involves multiple interactions between the shell proteins and the cargo – the enzymes and other reaction ingredients – they will enclose. Understanding how to control which enzymes are encapsulated within microcompartments could help researchers to re-engineer the microcompartments so that they contain drugs or other useful products. Recent studies have used microscopy to visualize how microcompartments are assembled. However, most of the intermediate structures that form during assembly are too small and short-lived to be seen. It has therefore not been possible to explore in detail how shell proteins collect the necessary cargo and then assemble into an ordered shell with the cargo on the inside. Experiments alone are probably not enough to understand the process, especially since microcompartment assembly can currently only be studied within live cells or cellular extract. Within these complex environments it is difficult to determine the effect of any individual factor on the overall assembly process. Perlmutter, Mohajerani and Hagan have now taken a different approach by developing computational and theoretical models to explore how microcompartments assemble. Computer simulations showed that microcompartments could assemble by two pathways. In one pathway, the protein shell and cargo coalesce at the same time. In the other pathway, the cargo molecules first assemble into a large disordered complex, with the shell proteins attached on the outside. The shell proteins then assemble, carving out a piece of the cargo complex. The simulations showed that many factors affect how the shell assembles, such as the strengths of the interactions between the shell proteins and the cargo. They also identified a factor that controls how much cargo ends up inside the assembled shell. Perlmutter, Mohajerani and Hagan found that, in addition to revealing how microcompartments may assemble within their natural setting, the simulations provided guidance on how to re-engineer microcompartments to assemble around other components. This would enable researchers to create customizable compartments that self-assemble within bacteria or other host organisms, for example to carry out carbon fixation or make biofuels. A future challenge will be to investigate other aspects of microcompartment assembly, such as the factors that control the size of these compartments. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14078.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D Perlmutter
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
| | - Farzaneh Mohajerani
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
| | - Michael F Hagan
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
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70
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Abstract
During the life cycle of a virus, viral proteins and other components self-assemble to form an ordered protein shell called a capsid. This assembly process is subject to multiple competing constraints, including the need to form a thermostable shell while avoiding kinetic traps. It has been proposed that viral assembly satisfies these constraints through allosteric regulation, including the interconversion of capsid proteins among conformations with different propensities for assembly. In this article, we use computational and theoretical modeling to explore how such allostery affects the assembly of icosahedral shells. We simulate assembly under a wide range of protein concentrations, protein binding affinities, and two different mechanisms of allosteric control. We find that above a threshold strength of allosteric control, assembly becomes robust over a broad range of subunit binding affinities and concentrations, allowing the formation of highly thermostable capsids. Our results suggest that allostery can significantly shift the range of protein binding affinities that lead to successful assembly and thus should be taken into account in models that are used to estimate interaction parameters from experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo R Lazaro
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University , Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Michael F Hagan
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University , Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
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71
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Tolokh IS, Drozdetski AV, Pollack L, Baker NA, Onufriev AV. Multi-shell model of ion-induced nucleic acid condensation. J Chem Phys 2016; 144:155101. [PMID: 27389241 PMCID: PMC4841795 DOI: 10.1063/1.4945382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a semi-quantitative model of condensation of short nucleic acid (NA) duplexes induced by trivalent cobalt(iii) hexammine (CoHex) ions. The model is based on partitioning of bound counterion distribution around single NA duplex into "external" and "internal" ion binding shells distinguished by the proximity to duplex helical axis. In the aggregated phase the shells overlap, which leads to significantly increased attraction of CoHex ions in these overlaps with the neighboring duplexes. The duplex aggregationfree energy is decomposed into attractive and repulsive components in such a way that they can be represented by simple analytical expressions with parameters derived from molecular dynamic simulations and numerical solutions of Poisson equation. The attractive term depends on the fractions of bound ions in the overlapping shells and affinity of CoHex to the "external" shell of nearly neutralized duplex. The repulsive components of the free energy are duplex configurational entropy loss upon the aggregation and the electrostatic repulsion of the duplexes that remains after neutralization by bound CoHex ions. The estimates of the aggregationfree energy are consistent with the experimental range of NA duplex condensation propensities, including the unusually poor condensation of RNA structures and subtle sequence effects upon DNAcondensation. The model predicts that, in contrast to DNA, RNA duplexes may condense into tighter packed aggregates with a higher degree of duplex neutralization. An appreciable CoHex mediated RNA-RNA attraction requires closer inter-duplex separation to engage CoHex ions (bound mostly in the "internal" shell of RNA) into short-range attractive interactions. The model also predicts that longer NA fragments will condense more readily than shorter ones. The ability of this model to explain experimentally observed trends in NAcondensation lends support to proposed NAcondensation picture based on the multivalent "ion binding shells."
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor S Tolokh
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | | | - Lois Pollack
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-3501, USA
| | - Nathan A Baker
- Advanced Computing, Mathematics, and Data Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
| | - Alexey V Onufriev
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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72
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Rolfsson Ó, Middleton S, Manfield IW, White SJ, Fan B, Vaughan R, Ranson NA, Dykeman E, Twarock R, Ford J, Kao CC, Stockley PG. Direct Evidence for Packaging Signal-Mediated Assembly of Bacteriophage MS2. J Mol Biol 2016; 428:431-48. [PMID: 26608810 PMCID: PMC4751978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Using cross-linking coupled to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and CLIP-Seq sequencing, we determined the peptide and oligonucleotide sequences at the interfaces between the capsid proteins and the genomic RNA of bacteriophage MS2. The results suggest that the same coat protein (CP)-RNA and maturation protein (MP)-RNA interfaces are used in every viral particle. The portions of the viral RNA in contact with CP subunits span the genome, consistent with a large number of discrete and similar contacts within each particle. Many of these sites match previous predictions of the locations of multiple, dispersed and degenerate RNA sites with cognate CP affinity termed packaging signals (PSs). Chemical RNA footprinting was used to compare the secondary structures of protein-free genomic fragments and the RNA in the virion. Some PSs are partially present in protein-free RNA but others would need to refold from their dominant solution conformations to form the contacts identified in the virion. The RNA-binding peptides within the MP map to two sections of the N-terminal half of the protein. Comparison of MP sequences from related phages suggests a similar arrangement of RNA-binding sites, although these N-terminal regions have only limited sequence conservation. In contrast, the sequences of the C-termini are highly conserved, consistent with them encompassing pilin-binding domains required for initial contact with host cells. These results provide independent and unambiguous support for the assembly of MS2 virions via a PS-mediated mechanism involving a series of induced-fit viral protein interactions with RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Óttar Rolfsson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Stefani Middleton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; The Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Iain W Manfield
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J White
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Baochang Fan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Robert Vaughan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Dykeman
- Department of Biology and Mathematics and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Reidun Twarock
- Department of Biology and Mathematics and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - James Ford
- The Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - C Cheng Kao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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73
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Garmann RF, Comas-Garcia M, Knobler CM, Gelbart WM. Physical Principles in the Self-Assembly of a Simple Spherical Virus. Acc Chem Res 2016; 49:48-55. [PMID: 26653769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.5b00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are unique among living organisms insofar as they can be reconstituted "from scratch", that is, synthesized from purified components. In the simplest cases, their "parts list" numbers only two: a single molecule of nucleic acid and many (but a very special number, i.e., multiples of 60) copies of a single protein. Indeed, the smallest viral genomes include essentially only two genes, on the order of a thousand times fewer than the next-simplest organisms like bacteria and yeast. For these reasons, it is possible and even fruitful to take a reductionist approach to viruses and to understand how they work in terms of fundamental physical principles. In this Account, we discuss our recent physical chemistry approach to studying the self-assembly of a particular spherical virus (cowpea chlorotic mottle virus) whose reconstitution from RNA and capsid protein has long served as a model for virus assembly. While previous studies have clarified the roles of certain physical (electrostatic, hydrophobic, steric) interactions in the stability and structure of the final virus, it has been difficult to probe these interactions during assembly because of the inherently short lifetimes of the intermediate states. We feature the role of pH in tuning the magnitude of the interactions among capsid proteins during assembly: in particular, by making the interactions between proteins sufficiently weak, we are able to stall the assembly process and interrogate the structure and composition of particular on-pathway intermediates. Further, we find that the strength of the lateral attractions between RNA-bound proteins plays a key role in addressing several outstanding questions about assembly: What determines the pathway or pathways of assembly? What is the importance of kinetic traps and hysteresis? How do viruses copackage multiple short (compared with wild-type) RNAs or single long RNAs? What determines the relative packaging efficiencies of different RNAs when they are forced to compete for an insufficient supply of protein? And what is the limit on the length of RNA that can be packaged by CCMV capsid protein?
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Affiliation(s)
- Rees F. Garmann
- Harvard
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Mauricio Comas-Garcia
- HIV
Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
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74
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Stockley PG, White SJ, Dykeman E, Manfield I, Rolfsson O, Patel N, Bingham R, Barker A, Wroblewski E, Chandler-Bostock R, Weiß EU, Ranson NA, Tuma R, Twarock R. Bacteriophage MS2 genomic RNA encodes an assembly instruction manual for its capsid. BACTERIOPHAGE 2016; 6:e1157666. [PMID: 27144089 PMCID: PMC4836477 DOI: 10.1080/21597081.2016.1157666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Using RNA-coat protein crosslinking we have shown that the principal RNA recognition surface on the interior of infectious MS2 virions overlaps with the known peptides that bind the high affinity translational operator, TR, within the phage genome. The data also reveal the sequences of genomic fragments in contact with the coat protein shell. These show remarkable overlap with previous predictions based on the hypothesis that virion assembly is mediated by multiple sequences-specific contacts at RNA sites termed Packaging Signals (PSs). These PSs are variations on the TR stem-loop sequence and secondary structure. They act co-operatively to regulate the dominant assembly pathway and ensure cognate RNA encapsidation. In MS2, they also trigger conformational change in the dimeric capsomere creating the A/B quasi-conformer, 60 of which are needed to complete the T=3 capsid. This is the most compelling demonstration to date that this ssRNA virus, and by implications potentially very many of them, assemble via a PS-mediated assembly mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter G. Stockley
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Simon J. White
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Eric Dykeman
- Department of Biology and Mathematics & York Center for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
| | - Iain Manfield
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Ottar Rolfsson
- Center for Systems Biology, University of Iceland, University of Iceland Biomedical Center, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Nikesh Patel
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Richard Bingham
- Department of Biology and Mathematics & York Center for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
| | - Amy Barker
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Emma Wroblewski
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Eva U. Weiß
- Department of Biology and Mathematics & York Center for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
| | - Neil A. Ranson
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Roman Tuma
- Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Reidun Twarock
- Department of Biology and Mathematics & York Center for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, UK
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75
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Faez S, Lahini Y, Weidlich S, Garmann RF, Wondraczek K, Zeisberger M, Schmidt MA, Orrit M, Manoharan VN. Fast, Label-Free Tracking of Single Viruses and Weakly Scattering Nanoparticles in a Nanofluidic Optical Fiber. ACS NANO 2015; 9:12349-57. [PMID: 26505649 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b05646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
High-speed tracking of single particles is a gateway to understanding physical, chemical, and biological processes at the nanoscale. It is also a major experimental challenge, particularly for small, nanometer-scale particles. Although methods such as confocal or fluorescence microscopy offer both high spatial resolution and high signal-to-background ratios, the fluorescence emission lifetime limits the measurement speed, while photobleaching and thermal diffusion limit the duration of measurements. Here we present a tracking method based on elastic light scattering that enables long-duration measurements of nanoparticle dynamics at rates of thousands of frames per second. We contain the particles within a single-mode silica fiber having a subwavelength, nanofluidic channel and illuminate them using the fiber's strongly confined optical mode. The diffusing particles in this cylindrical geometry are continuously illuminated inside the collection focal plane. We show that the method can track unlabeled dielectric particles as small as 20 nm as well as individual cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) virions-26 nm in size and 4.6 megadaltons in mass-at rates of over 3 kHz for durations of tens of seconds. Our setup is easily incorporated into common optical microscopes and extends their detection range to nanometer-scale particles and macromolecules. The ease-of-use and performance of this technique support its potential for widespread applications in medical diagnostics and micro total analysis systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanli Faez
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yoav Lahini
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Stefan Weidlich
- Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG , 63450 Hanau, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology , Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07754 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Katrin Wondraczek
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology , Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07754 Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Zeisberger
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology , Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07754 Jena, Germany
| | - Markus A Schmidt
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology , Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07754 Jena, Germany
- Otto Schott Institute of Material Research , Fraunhoferstr. 6, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Michel Orrit
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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76
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter E Prevelige
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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77
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Tanamura S, Terakado H, Harada K. Cooperative dimerization of a stably folded protein directed by a flexible RNA in the assembly of the HIV Rev dimer-RRE stem II complex. J Mol Recognit 2015; 29:199-209. [PMID: 26620599 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.2518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Revised: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The binding of the HIV-1 Rev protein as an oligomer to a viral RNA element, the Rev-response element (RRE), mediates nuclear export of genomic RNA. Assembly of the Rev-RRE ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex is nucleated by the binding of the first Rev molecule to stem IIB of the RRE. This is followed by stepwise addition of a total of ~six Rev molecules along the RRE through a combination of RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. RRE stem II, which forms a three-way junction consisting of stems IIA, IIB and IIC, has been shown to bind to two Rev molecules in a cooperative manner, with the second Rev molecule binding to the junction region of stem II. The results of base substitutions at the stem II junction, and characterization of stem II junction variants selected from a randomized library showed that an "open" flexible structure is preferred for binding of the second Rev molecule, and that binding of the second Rev molecule to the junction region is not sequence-specific. Alanine substitutions of a number of Rev amino acid residues implicated to be important for Rev folding in previous structural studies were found to result in a dramatic decrease in the binding of the second Rev molecule. These results support the model that proper folding of Rev is critical in ensuring that the flexible RRE is able to correctly position Rev molecules for specific RNP assembly, and suggests that targeting Rev folding may be effective in the inhibition of Rev function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Tanamura
- Department of Life Sciences, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroto Terakado
- Department of Life Sciences, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan
| | - Kazuo Harada
- Department of Life Sciences, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan
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78
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A novel delivery platform based on Bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particles. Virus Res 2015; 211:9-16. [PMID: 26415756 PMCID: PMC7114531 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2015.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 08/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Here we reviewed Bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particles, including introduction to their structure, their potential as a delivery platform, and their expected use in medicine and other fields. Bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particles represent the novel delivery platform. Bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particles possess promising application prospect.
Our objective here is to review the novel delivery platform based on Bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particles (VLPs), including introduction to their structure, their potential as a delivery platform, and their expected use in medicine and other fields. Bacteriophage MS2 VLPs are nanoparticles devoid of viral genetic material and can self-assemble from the coat protein into an icosahedral capsid. As a novel delivery platform, they possess numerous features that make them suitable and attractive for targeted delivery of RNAs or DNAs, epitope peptides, and drugs within the protein capsid. In short, as a novel delivery platform, MS2 VLPs are suitable for delivery of targeted agents and hold promise for use in diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutic modalities.
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79
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Harms ZD, Selzer L, Zlotnick A, Jacobson SC. Monitoring Assembly of Virus Capsids with Nanofluidic Devices. ACS NANO 2015; 9:9087-96. [PMID: 26266555 PMCID: PMC4753561 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b03231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Virus assembly is a coordinated process in which typically hundreds of subunits react to form complex, symmetric particles. We use resistive-pulse sensing to characterize the assembly of hepatitis B virus core protein dimers into T = 3 and T = 4 icosahedral capsids. This technique counts and sizes intermediates and capsids in real time, with single-particle sensitivity, and at biologically relevant concentrations. Other methods are not able to produce comparable real-time, single-particle observations of assembly reactions below, near, and above the pseudocritical dimer concentration, at which the dimer and capsid concentrations are approximately equal. Assembly reactions across a range of dimer concentrations reveal three distinct patterns. At dimer concentrations as low as 50 nM, well below the pseudocritical dimer concentration of 0.5 μM, we observe a switch in the ratio of T = 3 to T = 4 capsids, which increases with decreasing dimer concentration. Far above the pseudocritical dimer concentration, kinetically trapped, incomplete T = 4 particles assemble rapidly, then slowly anneal into T = 4 capsids. At all dimer concentrations tested, T = 3 capsids form more rapidly than T = 4 capsids, suggesting distinct pathways for the two forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary D. Harms
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - Lisa Selzer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
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80
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Ben-Shaul A, Gelbart WM. Viral ssRNAs are indeed compact. Biophys J 2015; 108:14-6. [PMID: 25564845 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A Ben-Shaul
- Institute of Chemistry and Fritz Haber Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - W M Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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81
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Borodavka A, Ault J, Stockley PG, Tuma R. Evidence that avian reovirus σNS is an RNA chaperone: implications for genome segment assortment. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:7044-57. [PMID: 26109354 PMCID: PMC4538827 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Reoviruses are important human, animal and plant pathogens having 10-12 segments of double-stranded genomic RNA. The mechanisms controlling the assortment and packaging of genomic segments in these viruses, remain poorly understood. RNA-protein and RNA-RNA interactions between viral genomic segment precursors have been implicated in the process. While non-structural viral RNA-binding proteins, such as avian reovirus σNS, are essential for virus replication, the mechanism by which they assist packaging is unclear. Here we demonstrate that σNS assembles into stable elongated hexamers in vitro, which bind single-stranded nucleic acids with high affinity, but little sequence specificity. Using ensemble and single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we show that σNS also binds to a partially double-stranded RNA, resulting in gradual helix unwinding. The hexamer can bind multiple RNA molecules and exhibits strand-annealing activity, thus mediating conversion of metastable, intramolecular stem-loops into more stable heteroduplexes. We demonstrate that the ARV σNS acts as an RNA chaperone facilitating specific RNA-RNA interactions between genomic precursors during segment assortment and packaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Borodavka
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - James Ault
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Peter G Stockley
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Roman Tuma
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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82
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Kretov DA, Curmi PA, Hamon L, Abrakhi S, Desforges B, Ovchinnikov LP, Pastré D. mRNA and DNA selection via protein multimerization: YB-1 as a case study. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:9457-73. [PMID: 26271991 PMCID: PMC4627072 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Translation is tightly regulated in cells for keeping adequate protein levels, this task being notably accomplished by dedicated mRNA-binding proteins recognizing a specific set of mRNAs to repress or facilitate their translation. To select specific mRNAs, mRNA-binding proteins can strongly bind to specific mRNA sequences/structures. However, many mRNA-binding proteins rather display a weak specificity to short and redundant sequences. Here we examined an alternative mechanism by which mRNA-binding proteins could inhibit the translation of specific mRNAs, using YB-1, a major translation regulator, as a case study. Based on a cooperative binding, YB-1 forms stable homo-multimers on some mRNAs while avoiding other mRNAs. Via such inhomogeneous distribution, YB-1 can selectively inhibit translation of mRNAs on which it has formed stable multimers. This novel mechanistic view on mRNA selection may be shared by other proteins considering the elevated occurrence of multimerization among mRNA-binding proteins. Interestingly, we also demonstrate how, by using the same mechanism, YB-1 can form multimers on specific DNA structures, which could provide novel insights into YB-1 nuclear functions in DNA repair and multi-drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A Kretov
- Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM U1204 and Université Evry-Val d'Essonne, Evry, 91025 France Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region 142290, Russia
| | - Patrick A Curmi
- Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM U1204 and Université Evry-Val d'Essonne, Evry, 91025 France
| | - Loic Hamon
- Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM U1204 and Université Evry-Val d'Essonne, Evry, 91025 France
| | - Sanae Abrakhi
- Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM U1204 and Université Evry-Val d'Essonne, Evry, 91025 France
| | - Bénédicte Desforges
- Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM U1204 and Université Evry-Val d'Essonne, Evry, 91025 France
| | - Lev P Ovchinnikov
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region 142290, Russia
| | - David Pastré
- Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM U1204 and Université Evry-Val d'Essonne, Evry, 91025 France
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83
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Encapsidation of Host RNAs by Cucumber Necrosis Virus Coat Protein during both Agroinfiltration and Infection. J Virol 2015; 89:10748-61. [PMID: 26269190 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01466-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Next-generation sequence analysis of virus-like particles (VLPs) produced during agroinfiltration of cucumber necrosis virus (CNV) coat protein (CP) and of authentic CNV virions was conducted to assess if host RNAs can be encapsidated by CNV CP. VLPs containing host RNAs were found to be produced during agroinfiltration, accumulating to approximately 1/60 the level that CNV virions accumulated during infection. VLPs contained a variety of host RNA species, including the major rRNAs as well as cytoplasmic, chloroplast, and mitochondrial mRNAs. The most predominant host RNA species encapsidated in VLPs were chloroplast encoded, consistent with the efficient targeting of CNV CP to chloroplasts during agroinfiltration. Interestingly, droplet digital PCR analysis showed that the CNV CP mRNA expressed during agroinfiltration was the most efficiently encapsidated mRNA, suggesting that the CNV CP open reading frame may contain a high-affinity site or sites for CP binding and thus contribute to the specificity of CNV RNA encapsidation. Approximately 0.09% to 0.7% of the RNA derived from authentic CNV virions contained host RNA, with chloroplast RNA again being the most prominent species. This is consistent with our previous finding that a small proportion of CNV CP enters chloroplasts during the infection process and highlights the possibility that chloroplast targeting is a significant aspect of CNV infection. Remarkably, 6 to 8 of the top 10 most efficiently encapsidated nucleus-encoded RNAs in CNV virions correspond to retrotransposon or retrotransposon-like RNA sequences. Thus, CNV could potentially serve as a vehicle for horizontal transmission of retrotransposons to new hosts and thereby significantly influence genome evolution. IMPORTANCE Viruses predominantly encapsidate their own virus-related RNA species due to the possession of specific sequences and/or structures on viral RNA which serve as high-affinity binding sites for the coat protein. In this study, we show, using next-generation sequence analysis, that CNV also encapsidates host RNA species, which account for ∼0.1% of the RNA packaged in CNV particles. The encapsidated host RNAs predominantly include chloroplast RNAs, reinforcing previous observations that CNV CP enters chloroplasts during infection. Remarkably, the most abundantly encapsidated cytoplasmic mRNAs consisted of retrotransposon-like RNA sequences, similar to findings recently reported for flock house virus (A. Routh, T. Domitrovic, and J. E. Johnson, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:1907-1912, 2012). Encapsidation of retrotransposon sequences may contribute to their horizontal transmission should CNV virions carrying retrotransposons infect a new host. Such an event could lead to large-scale genomic changes in a naive plant host, thus facilitating host evolutionary novelty.
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84
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Dykeman EC. An implementation of the Gillespie algorithm for RNA kinetics with logarithmic time update. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:5708-15. [PMID: 25990741 PMCID: PMC4499123 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper I outline a fast method called KFOLD for implementing the Gillepie algorithm to stochastically sample the folding kinetics of an RNA molecule at single base-pair resolution. In the same fashion as the KINFOLD algorithm, which also uses the Gillespie algorithm to predict folding kinetics, KFOLD stochastically chooses a new RNA secondary structure state that is accessible from the current state by a single base-pair addition/deletion following the Gillespie procedure. However, unlike KINFOLD, the KFOLD algorithm utilizes the fact that many of the base-pair addition/deletion reactions and their corresponding rates do not change between each step in the algorithm. This allows KFOLD to achieve a substantial speed-up in the time required to compute a prediction of the folding pathway and, for a fixed number of base-pair moves, performs logarithmically with sequence size. This increase in speed opens up the possibility of studying the kinetics of much longer RNA sequences at single base-pair resolution while also allowing for the RNA folding statistics of smaller RNA sequences to be computed much more quickly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C Dykeman
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, Department of Mathematics and Biology University of York, Deramore Lane, York, YO10 5GE, UK
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85
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The Role of Packaging Sites in Efficient and Specific Virus Assembly. J Mol Biol 2015; 427:2451-2467. [PMID: 25986309 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
During the life cycle of many single-stranded RNA viruses, including many human pathogens, a protein shell called the capsid spontaneously assembles around the viral genome. Understanding the mechanisms by which capsid proteins selectively assemble around the viral RNA amidst diverse host RNAs is a key question in virology. In one proposed mechanism, short sequences (packaging sites) within the genomic RNA promote rapid and efficient assembly through specific interactions with the capsid proteins. In this work, we develop a coarse-grained particle-based computational model for capsid proteins and RNA that represents protein-RNA interactions arising both from nonspecific electrostatics and from specific packaging site interactions. Using Brownian dynamics simulations, we explore how the efficiency and specificity of assembly depend on solution conditions (which control protein-protein and nonspecific protein-RNA interactions) and the strength and number of packaging sites. We identify distinct regions in parameter space in which packaging sites lead to highly specific assembly via different mechanisms and others in which packaging sites lead to kinetic traps. We relate these computational predictions to in vitro assays for specificity in which cognate viral RNAs compete against non-cognate RNAs for assembly by capsid proteins.
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86
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Abstract
On the basis of a T = 1 icosahedral capsid model, the capsomer-polyion co-assembly process has been investigated by molecular dynamics simulations using capsomers with different net charge and charge distribution as well as linear, branched, and hyper-branched polyions. The assembly process was characterized in terms of the time-dependent cluster size probabilities, averaged cluster size, encapsulation efficiency, and polyion extension. The kinetics of the capsid formation displayed a two-step process. The first one comprised adsorption of capsomers on the polyion, driven by their electrostatic attraction, whereas the second one involved a relocation and/or reorientation of adsorbed capsomers, which rate is reduced upon increasing electrostatic interaction. We found that increased polyion branching facilitated a more rapid encapsulation process towards a higher yield. Moreover, the hyper-branched polyions were entirely encapsulated at all polyion-capsid charge ratios considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Zhang
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Per Linse
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
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87
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Abstract
Viruses are nanoscale entities containing a nucleic acid genome encased in a protein shell called a capsid and in some cases are surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane. This review summarizes the physics that govern the processes by which capsids assemble within their host cells and in vitro. We describe the thermodynamics and kinetics for the assembly of protein subunits into icosahedral capsid shells and how these are modified in cases in which the capsid assembles around a nucleic acid or on a lipid bilayer. We present experimental and theoretical techniques used to characterize capsid assembly, and we highlight aspects of virus assembly that are likely to receive significant attention in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D Perlmutter
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454;
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88
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Geraets JA, Dykeman EC, Stockley PG, Ranson NA, Twarock R. Asymmetric genome organization in an RNA virus revealed via graph-theoretical analysis of tomographic data. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004146. [PMID: 25793998 PMCID: PMC4368512 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy permits 3-D structures of viral pathogens to be determined in remarkable detail. In particular, the protein containers encapsulating viral genomes have been determined to high resolution using symmetry averaging techniques that exploit the icosahedral architecture seen in many viruses. By contrast, structure determination of asymmetric components remains a challenge, and novel analysis methods are required to reveal such features and characterize their functional roles during infection. Motivated by the important, cooperative roles of viral genomes in the assembly of single-stranded RNA viruses, we have developed a new analysis method that reveals the asymmetric structural organization of viral genomes in proximity to the capsid in such viruses. The method uses geometric constraints on genome organization, formulated based on knowledge of icosahedrally-averaged reconstructions and the roles of the RNA-capsid protein contacts, to analyse cryo-electron tomographic data. We apply this method to the low-resolution tomographic data of a model virus and infer the unique asymmetric organization of its genome in contact with the protein shell of the capsid. This opens unprecedented opportunities to analyse viral genomes, revealing conserved structural features and mechanisms that can be targeted in antiviral drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Geraets
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Eric C Dykeman
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Reidun Twarock
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York, United Kingdom
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89
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Abstract
I present a review of the theoretical and computational methodologies that have been used to model the assembly of viral capsids. I discuss the capabilities and limitations of approaches ranging from equilibrium continuum theories to molecular dynamics simulations, and I give an overview of some of the important conclusions about virus assembly that have resulted from these modeling efforts. Topics include the assembly of empty viral shells, assembly around single-stranded nucleic acids to form viral particles, and assembly around synthetic polymers or charged nanoparticles for nanotechnology or biomedical applications. I present some examples in which modeling efforts have promoted experimental breakthroughs, as well as directions in which the connection between modeling and experiment can be strengthened.
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90
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Abstract
We present direct experimental evidence that assembly of a single-stranded RNA virus occurs via a packaging signal-mediated mechanism. We show that the sequences of coat protein recognition motifs within multiple, dispersed, putative RNA packaging signals, as well as their relative spacing within a genomic fragment, act collectively to influence the fidelity and yield of capsid self-assembly in vitro. These experiments confirm that the selective advantages for viral yield and encapsidation specificity, predicted from previous modeling of packaging signal-mediated assembly, are found in Nature. Regions of the genome that act as packaging signals also function in translational and transcriptional enhancement, as well as directly coding for the coat protein, highlighting the density of encoded functions within the viral RNA. Assembly and gene expression are therefore direct molecular competitors for different functional folds of the same RNA sequence. The strongest packaging signal in the test fragment, encodes a region of the coat protein that undergoes a conformational change upon contact with packaging signals. A similar phenomenon occurs in other RNA viruses for which packaging signals are known. These contacts hint at an even deeper density of encoded functions in viral RNA, which if confirmed, would have profound consequences for the evolution of this class of pathogens.
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91
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Tolokh IS, Pabit SA, Katz AM, Chen Y, Drozdetski A, Baker N, Pollack L, Onufriev AV. Why double-stranded RNA resists condensation. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:10823-31. [PMID: 25123663 PMCID: PMC4176364 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The addition of small amounts of multivalent cations to solutions containing double-stranded DNA leads to inter-DNA attraction and eventual condensation. Surprisingly, the condensation is suppressed in double-stranded RNA, which carries the same negative charge as DNA, but assumes a different double helical form. Here, we combine experiment and atomistic simulations to propose a mechanism that explains the variations in condensation of short (25 base-pairs) nucleic acid (NA) duplexes, from B-like form of homopolymeric DNA, to mixed sequence DNA, to DNA:RNA hybrid, to A-like RNA. Circular dichroism measurements suggest that duplex helical geometry is not the fundamental property that ultimately determines the observed differences in condensation. Instead, these differences are governed by the spatial variation of cobalt hexammine (CoHex) binding to NA. There are two major NA-CoHex binding modes--internal and external--distinguished by the proximity of bound CoHex to the helical axis. We find a significant difference, up to 5-fold, in the fraction of ions bound to the external surfaces of the different NA constructs studied. NA condensation propensity is determined by the fraction of CoHex ions in the external binding mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor S Tolokh
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Suzette A Pabit
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-3501, USA
| | - Andrea M Katz
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-3501, USA
| | - Yujie Chen
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-3501, USA
| | | | - Nathan Baker
- Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Lois Pollack
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-3501, USA
| | - Alexey V Onufriev
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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92
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Abstract
Cancers arise through the progression of multiple genetic and epigenetic defects that lead to deregulation of numerous signalling networks. However, the last decade has seen the development of the concept of 'oncogene addiction', where tumours appear to depend on a single oncogene for survival. RNAi has provided an invaluable tool in the identification of these oncogenes and oncogene-dependent cancers, and also presents great potential as a novel therapeutic strategy against them. Although RNAi therapeutics have demonstrated effective killing of oncogene-dependent cancers in vitro, their efficacy in vivo is severely limited by effective delivery systems. Several virus-based RNAi delivery strategies have been explored, but problems arose associated with high immunogenicity, random genome integration and non-specific targeting. This has directed efforts towards non-viral formulations, including delivery systems based on virus-like particles, liposomes and cationic polymers, which can circumvent some of these problems by immunomasking and the use of specific tumour-targeting ligands. This review outlines the prevalence of oncogene-dependent cancers, evaluates the potential of RNAi-based therapeutics and assesses the relative strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to targeted RNAi delivery.
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93
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Perlmutter JD, Perkett MR, Hagan MF. Pathways for virus assembly around nucleic acids. J Mol Biol 2014; 426:3148-3165. [PMID: 25036288 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Revised: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the pathways by which viral capsid proteins assemble around their genomes could identify key intermediates as potential drug targets. In this work, we use computer simulations to characterize assembly over a wide range of capsid protein-protein interaction strengths and solution ionic strengths. We find that assembly pathways can be categorized into two classes, in which intermediates are either predominantly ordered or disordered. Our results suggest that estimating the protein-protein and the protein-genome binding affinities may be sufficient to predict which pathway occurs. Furthermore, the calculated phase diagrams suggest that knowledge of the dominant assembly pathway and its relationship to control parameters could identify optimal strategies to thwart or redirect assembly to block infection. Finally, analysis of simulation trajectories suggests that the two classes of assembly pathways can be distinguished in single-molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy or bulk time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D Perlmutter
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Matthew R Perkett
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Michael F Hagan
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA.
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94
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Solving a Levinthal's paradox for virus assembly identifies a unique antiviral strategy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:5361-6. [PMID: 24706827 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1319479111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the important puzzles in virology is how viruses assemble the protein containers that package their genomes rapidly and efficiently in vivo while avoiding triggering their hosts' antiviral defenses. Viral assembly appears directed toward a relatively small subset of the vast number of all possible assembly intermediates and pathways, akin to Levinthal's paradox for the folding of polypeptide chains. Using an in silico assembly model, we demonstrate that this reduction in complexity can be understood if aspects of in vivo assembly, which have mostly been neglected in in vitro experimental and theoretical modeling assembly studies, are included in the analysis. In particular, we show that the increasing viral coat protein concentration that occurs in infected cells plays unexpected and vital roles in avoiding potential kinetic assembly traps, significantly reducing the number of assembly pathways and assembly initiation sites, and resulting in enhanced assembly efficiency and genome packaging specificity. Because capsid assembly is a vital determinant of the overall fitness of a virus in the infection process, these insights have important consequences for our understanding of how selection impacts on the evolution of viral quasispecies. These results moreover suggest strategies for optimizing the production of protein nanocontainers for drug delivery and of virus-like particles for vaccination. We demonstrate here in silico that drugs targeting the specific RNA-capsid protein contacts can delay assembly, reduce viral load, and lead to an increase of misencapsidation of cellular RNAs, hence opening up unique avenues for antiviral therapy.
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95
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Gopal R, Venter PA, Schneemann A. Differential segregation of nodaviral coat protein and RNA into progeny virions during mixed infection with FHV and NoV. Virology 2014; 454-455:280-90. [PMID: 24725955 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Nodaviruses are icosahedral viruses with a bipartite, positive-sense RNA genome. The two RNAs are packaged into a single virion by a poorly understood mechanism. We chose two distantly related nodaviruses, Flock House virus and Nodamura virus, to explore formation of viral reassortants as a means to further understand genome recognition and encapsidation. In mixed infections, the viruses were incompatible at the level of RNA replication and their coat proteins segregated into separate populations of progeny particles. RNA packaging, on the other hand, was indiscriminate as all four viral RNAs were detectable in each progeny population. Consistent with the trans-encapsidation phenotype, fluorescence in situ hybridization of viral RNA revealed that the genomes of the two viruses co-localized throughout the cytoplasm. Our results imply that nodaviral RNAs lack rigorously defined packaging signals and that co-encapsidation of the viral RNAs does not require a pair of cognate RNA1 and RNA2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Gopal
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - P Arno Venter
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anette Schneemann
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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96
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Erdemci-Tandogan G, Wagner J, van der Schoot P, Podgornik R, Zandi R. RNA topology remolds electrostatic stabilization of viruses. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2014; 89:032707. [PMID: 24730874 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.89.032707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Simple RNA viruses efficiently encapsulate their genome into a nano-sized protein shell: the capsid. Spontaneous coassembly of the genome and the capsid proteins is driven predominantly by electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged RNA and the positively charged inner capsid wall. Using field theoretic formulation we show that the inherently branched RNA secondary structure allows viruses to maximize the amount of encapsulated genome and make assembly more efficient, allowing viral RNAs to out-compete cellular RNAs during replication in infected host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonca Erdemci-Tandogan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Jef Wagner
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Paul van der Schoot
- Group Theory of Polymers and Soft Matter, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands and Institute for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University, Leuvenlaan 4, 3584 CE Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rudolf Podgornik
- Department of Theoretical Physics, J. Stefan Institute, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia and Department of Physics, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
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97
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Sharma A, Leach RN, Gell C, Zhang N, Burrows PC, Shepherd DA, Wigneshweraraj S, Smith DA, Zhang X, Buck M, Stockley PG, Tuma R. Domain movements of the enhancer-dependent sigma factor drive DNA delivery into the RNA polymerase active site: insights from single molecule studies. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:5177-90. [PMID: 24553251 PMCID: PMC4005640 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognition of bacterial promoters is regulated by two distinct classes of sequence-specific sigma factors, σ70 or σ54, that differ both in their primary sequence and in the requirement of the latter for activation via enhancer-bound upstream activators. The σ54 version controls gene expression in response to stress, often mediating pathogenicity. Its activator proteins are members of the AAA+ superfamily and use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis to remodel initially auto-inhibited holoenzyme promoter complexes. We have mapped this remodeling using single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. Initial remodeling is nucleotide-independent and driven by binding both ssDNA during promoter melting and activator. However, DNA loading into the RNA polymerase active site depends on co-operative ATP hydrolysis by the activator. Although the coupled promoter recognition and melting steps may be conserved between σ70 and σ54, the domain movements of the latter have evolved to require an activator ATPase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Sharma
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Robert N. Leach
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Christopher Gell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Nan Zhang
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Patricia C. Burrows
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Dale A. Shepherd
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sivaramesh Wigneshweraraj
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - David Alastair Smith
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Martin Buck
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Peter G. Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- *To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +44 1133 433092; Fax: +44 1133 437897;
| | - Roman Tuma
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW72AZ, UK and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Roman Tuma. Tel: +44 1133 433080; Fax: +44 1133 437897;
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98
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Dent KC, Thompson R, Barker AM, Hiscox JA, Barr JN, Stockley PG, Ranson NA. The asymmetric structure of an icosahedral virus bound to its receptor suggests a mechanism for genome release. Structure 2014; 21:1225-34. [PMID: 23810697 PMCID: PMC3701328 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2012] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 05/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Simple, spherical RNA viruses have well-understood, symmetric protein capsids, but little structural information is available for their asymmetric components, such as minor proteins and their genomes, which are vital for infection. Here, we report an asymmetric structure of bacteriophage MS2, attached to its receptor, the F-pilus. Cryo-electron tomography and subtomographic averaging of such complexes result in a structure containing clear density for the packaged genome, implying that the conformation of the genome is the same in each virus particle. The data also suggest that the single-copy viral maturation protein breaks the symmetry of the capsid, occupying a position that would be filled by a coat protein dimer in an icosahedral shell. This capsomere can thus fulfill its known biological roles in receptor and genome binding and suggests an exit route for the genome during infection. The asymmetric structure of a virus receptor complex is described The density for ordered genomic RNA was observed in the structure Viral maturation protein was visualized
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle C Dent
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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99
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Dimonte S, Babakir-Mina M, Aquaro S. HIV-1 B-subtype capsid protein: a characterization of amino acid's conservation and its significant association with integrase signatures. Virus Genes 2014; 48:429-37. [PMID: 24474329 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-014-1039-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 01/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The HIV-1 pre-integration phase and the subsequent integration of viral genome to the host of nuclear chromosomes are not well analyzed so far. Many studies are discussing the question of pre- and post-nuclear viral entry which is to support the assumption that HIV-1 integrase (IN) is maintained in the volume of intact conical structure's capsids through HIV entry. The aim of the current study is to identify the prevalence of capsid's (CA) signatures among drug-naïve and antiretroviral (ARV)-treated patients in a cohort of 827 HIV-1 B-subtype-infected individuals, and subsequently the relationship between IN and CA amino acid's changes was evaluated. These analyses suggest a conceivable co-evolution of IN-CA sequences, especially in relation to steps of nuclear viral entry. The frequency of mutations was calculated, and statistically has been compared between treatment-naïve and ARV-treated patients. The binomial correlation coefficient was used to assess covariation among CA and IN mutations; then, the average linkage hierarchical agglomerative clustering was performed. The results show a detailed conservation of HIV-1 CA protein both in drug-naïve and in ARV-treated patients. Moreover, the specific CA substitutions are significantly associated with different IN signatures at the amino acid level and the topology of the dendrogram has revealed the existence of two strong sub-clusters associated with hypothetical different mutational pathways. The in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary to exclude the hypothetical statistical false positive results and in order to confirm that some CA amino acid signatures are going to establish specific and precise implication in the HIV life cycle.
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100
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Polles G, Indelicato G, Potestio R, Cermelli P, Twarock R, Micheletti C. Mechanical and assembly units of viral capsids identified via quasi-rigid domain decomposition. PLoS Comput Biol 2013; 9:e1003331. [PMID: 24244139 PMCID: PMC3828136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Key steps in a viral life-cycle, such as self-assembly of a protective protein container or in some cases also subsequent maturation events, are governed by the interplay of physico-chemical mechanisms involving various spatial and temporal scales. These salient aspects of a viral life cycle are hence well described and rationalised from a mesoscopic perspective. Accordingly, various experimental and computational efforts have been directed towards identifying the fundamental building blocks that are instrumental for the mechanical response, or constitute the assembly units, of a few specific viral shells. Motivated by these earlier studies we introduce and apply a general and efficient computational scheme for identifying the stable domains of a given viral capsid. The method is based on elastic network models and quasi-rigid domain decomposition. It is first applied to a heterogeneous set of well-characterized viruses (CCMV, MS2, STNV, STMV) for which the known mechanical or assembly domains are correctly identified. The validated method is next applied to other viral particles such as L-A, Pariacoto and polyoma viruses, whose fundamental functional domains are still unknown or debated and for which we formulate verifiable predictions. The numerical code implementing the domain decomposition strategy is made freely available. The genetic material of viruses is packaged inside capsids constituted from a few tens to thousands of proteins. The latter can organize in multimers that serve as fundamental blocks for the viral shell assembly or that control the capsid conformational transitions and response to mechanical stress. In this work, we introduce and apply a computational scheme that identifies the fundamental protein blocks from the structural fluctuations of the capsids in thermal equilibrium. These can be derived from phenomenological elastic network models with minimal computational expenditure. Accordingly, the basic functional protein units of a capsid can be obtained from the sole input of the capsid crystal structure. The method is applied to a heterogeneous set of viruses of various size and geometries. These include well-characterised instances for validation purposes, as well as debated ones for which predictions are formulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Polles
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuliana Indelicato
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | - Paolo Cermelli
- Dipartimento di Matematica, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Reidun Twarock
- York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, United Kingdom
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