1
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Hori M, Steinauer A, Tetter S, Hälg J, Manz EM, Hilvert D. Stimulus-responsive assembly of nonviral nucleocapsids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3576. [PMID: 38678040 PMCID: PMC11055949 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47808-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Controlled assembly of a protein shell around a viral genome is a key step in the life cycle of many viruses. Here we report a strategy for regulating the co-assembly of nonviral proteins and nucleic acids into highly ordered nucleocapsids in vitro. By fusing maltose binding protein to the subunits of NC-4, an engineered protein cage that encapsulates its own encoding mRNA, we successfully blocked spontaneous capsid assembly, allowing isolation of the individual monomers in soluble form. To initiate RNA-templated nucleocapsid formation, the steric block can be simply removed by selective proteolysis. Analyses by transmission and cryo-electron microscopy confirmed that the resulting assemblies are structurally identical to their RNA-containing counterparts produced in vivo. Enzymatically triggered cage formation broadens the range of RNA molecules that can be encapsulated by NC-4, provides unique opportunities to study the co-assembly of capsid and cargo, and could be useful for studying other nonviral and viral assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Hori
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Angela Steinauer
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), SB ISIC LIBN, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Tetter
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jamiro Hälg
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Eva-Maria Manz
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Donald Hilvert
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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2
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Williams LA, Neophytou A, Garmann RF, Chakrabarti D, Manoharan VN. Effect of coat-protein concentration on the self-assembly of bacteriophage MS2 capsids around RNA. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:3121-3132. [PMID: 38258446 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03292b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembly is a vital part of the life cycle of certain icosahedral RNA viruses. Furthermore, the assembly process can be harnessed to make icosahedral virus-like particles (VLPs) from coat protein and RNA in vitro. Although much previous work has explored the effects of RNA-protein interactions on the assembly products, relatively little research has explored the effects of coat-protein concentration. We mix coat protein and RNA from bacteriophage MS2, and we use a combination of gel electrophoresis, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy to investigate the assembly products. We show that with increasing coat-protein concentration, the products transition from well-formed MS2 VLPs to "monster" particles consisting of multiple partial capsids to RNA-protein condensates consisting of large networks of RNA and partially assembled capsids. We argue that the transition from well-formed to monster particles arises because the assembly follows a nucleation-and-growth pathway in which the nucleation rate depends sensitively on the coat-protein concentration, such that at high protein concentrations, multiple nuclei can form on each RNA strand. To understand the formation of the condensates, which occurs at even higher coat-protein concentrations, we use Monte Carlo simulations with coarse-grained models of capsomers and RNA. These simulations suggest that the formation of condensates occurs by the adsorption of protein to the RNA followed by the assembly of capsids. Multiple RNA molecules can become trapped when a capsid grows from capsomers attached to two different RNA molecules or when excess protein bridges together growing capsids on different RNA molecules. Our results provide insight into an important biophysical process and could inform design rules for making VLPs for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- LaNell A Williams
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Andreas Neophytou
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Rees F Garmann
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | | | - Vinothan N Manoharan
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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3
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Ramirez-Acosta K, Loredo-García E, Herrera-Hernandez MM, Cadena-Nava RD. Plant Virus-Like Particles for RNA Delivery. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2822:387-410. [PMID: 38907930 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3918-4_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Plant viruses such as brome mosaic virus and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus are effectively purified through PEG precipitation and sucrose cushion ultracentrifugation. Increasing ionic strength and an alkaline pH cause the viruses to swell and disassemble into coat protein subunits. The coat proteins can be reassembled into stable virus-like particles (VLPs) that carry anionic molecules at low ionic strength and through two-step dialysis from neutral pH to acidic buffer. VLPs have been extensively studied due to their ability to protect and deliver cargo, particularly RNA, while avoiding degradation under physiological conditions. Furthermore, chemical functionalization of the surface of VLPs allows for the targeted drug delivery. VLPs derived from plants have demonstrated great potential in nanomedicine by offering a versatile platform for drug delivery, imaging, and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra Ramirez-Acosta
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California, (CICESE), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth Loredo-García
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California, (CICESE), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - M Mariana Herrera-Hernandez
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California, (CICESE), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Ruben D Cadena-Nava
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
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4
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Su Y, Liu B, Huang Z, Teng Z, Yang L, Zhu J, Huo S, Liu A. Virus-like particles nanoreactors: from catalysis towards bio-applications. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:9084-9098. [PMID: 37697810 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01112g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembled supramolecular structures found in nature, often used for compartmentalization. Exploiting their inherent properties, including precise nanoscale structures, monodispersity, and high stability, these architectures have been widely used as nanocarriers to protect or enrich catalysts, facilitating catalytic reactions and avoiding interference from the bulk solutions. In this review, we summarize the current progress of virus-like particles (VLPs)-based nanoreactors. First, we briefly introduce the physicochemical properties of the most commonly used virus particles to understand their roles in catalytic reactions beyond the confined space. Next, we summarize the self-assembly of nanoreactors forming higher-order hierarchical structures, highlighting the emerging field of nanoreactors as artificial organelles and their potential biomedical applications. Finally, we discuss the current findings and future perspectives of VLPs-based nanoreactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Su
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Beibei Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Zhenkun Huang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Zihao Teng
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Liulin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research and High-Quality Utilization, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
| | - Shuaidong Huo
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Aijie Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
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5
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Clark AB, Safdari M, Zoorob S, Zandi R, van der Schoot P. Relaxational dynamics of the T-number conversion of virus capsids. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:084904. [PMID: 37610017 DOI: 10.1063/5.0160822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We extend a recently proposed kinetic theory of virus capsid assembly based on Model A kinetics and study the dynamics of the interconversion of virus capsids of different sizes triggered by a quench, that is, by sudden changes in the solution conditions. The work is inspired by in vitro experiments on functionalized coat proteins of the plant virus cowpea chlorotic mottle virus, which undergo a reversible transition between two different shell sizes (T = 1 and T = 3) upon changing the acidity and salinity of the solution. We find that the relaxation dynamics are governed by two time scales that, in almost all cases, can be identified as two distinct processes. Initially, the monomers and one of the two types of capsids respond to the quench. Subsequently, the monomer concentration remains essentially constant, and the conversion between the two capsid species completes. In the intermediate stages, a long-lived metastable steady state may present itself, where the thermodynamically less stable species predominate. We conclude that a Model A based relaxational model can reasonably describe the early and intermediate stages of the conversion experiments. However, it fails to provide a good representation of the time evolution of the state of assembly of the coat proteins in the very late stages of equilibration when one of the two species disappears from the solution. It appears that explicitly incorporating the nucleation barriers to assembly and disassembly is crucial for an accurate description of the experimental findings, at least under conditions where these barriers are sufficiently large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Bryan Clark
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Mohammadamin Safdari
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Selim Zoorob
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Paul van der Schoot
- Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Postbus 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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6
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Li S, He J, Qiao S, Zhang X, Liu B. Self-Assembled Tetratic Crystals by Orthogonal Colloidal Force. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023:e2300642. [PMID: 36932933 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202300642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bonding simple building blocks to create crystalline materials with design has been sophisticated in the molecular world, but this is still very challenging for anisotropic nanoparticles or colloids, because the particle arrangements, including position and orientation, cannot be manipulated as expected. Here biconcave polystyrene (PS) discs to present a shape self-recognition route are used, which can control both the position and orientation of particles during self-assembly by directional colloidal forces. An unusual but very challenging two-dimensional (2D) open superstructure-tetratic crystal (TC)-is achieved. The optical properties of the 2D TCs are studied by the finite difference time domain method, showing that the PS/Ag binary TC can be used to modulate the polarization state of the incident light, for example, converting the linearly polarized light into left-handed or right-handed circularly polarized light. This work paves an important way for self-assembling many unprecedented crystalline materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jingwen He
- National Physical Experiment Teaching Demonstration Center, Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, P. R. China
| | - Shuoyuan Qiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100149, P. R. China
| | - Xinghua Zhang
- National Physical Experiment Teaching Demonstration Center, Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, P. R. China
| | - Bing Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100149, P. R. China
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7
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Muhren HJ, van der Schoot P. Electrostatic Theory of the Acidity of the Solution in the Lumina of Viruses and Virus-Like Particles. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:2160-2168. [PMID: 36881522 PMCID: PMC10026070 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c08604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Recently, Maassen et al. measured an appreciable pH difference between the bulk solution and the solution in the lumen of virus-like particles, self-assembled in an aqueous buffer solution containing the coat proteins of a simple plant virus and polyanions (Maassen, S. J.; et al. Small 2018, 14, 1802081). They attribute this to the Donnan effect, caused by an imbalance between the number of negative charges on the encapsulated polyelectrolyte molecules and the number of positive charges on the RNA binding domains of the coat proteins that make up the virus shell or capsid. By applying Poisson-Boltzmann theory, we confirm this conclusion and show that simple Donnan theory is accurate even for the smallest of viruses and virus-like particles. This, in part, is due to the additional screening caused by the presence of a large number of immobile charges in the cavity of the shell. The presence of a net charge on the outer surface of the capsid we find in practice to not have a large effect on the pH shift. Hence, Donnan theory can indeed be applied to connect the local pH and the amount of encapsulated material. The large shifts up to a full pH unit that we predict must have consequences for applications of virus capsids as nanocontainers in bionanotechnology and artificial cell organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- H J Muhren
- Soft Matter and Biological Physics, Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Postbus 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Paul van der Schoot
- Soft Matter and Biological Physics, Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Postbus 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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8
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Kraj P, Hewagama ND, Douglas T. Diffusion and molecular partitioning in hierarchically complex virus-like particles. Virology 2023; 580:50-60. [PMID: 36764014 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are diverse infectious agents found in virtually every type of natural environment. Due to the range of conditions in which viruses have evolved, they exhibit a wide range of structure and function which has been exploited for biotechnology. The self-assembly process of virus-like particles (VLPs), derived from structural virus components, allows for the assembly of a hierarchy of materials. Because VLPs are robust in both their assembly and the final product, functionality can be incorporated through design of their building blocks or chemical modification after their synthesis and assembly. In particular, encapsulation of active enzymes inside VLP results in macromolecular concentration approximating that of cells, introducing excluded volume effects on encapsulated cargo which are not present in traditional experiments done on dilute proteins. This work reviews the hierarchical assembly of VLPs, experiments investigating diffusion in VLP systems, and methods for partitioning of chemical species in VLPs as functional biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Kraj
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Nathasha D Hewagama
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Trevor Douglas
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
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9
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Single-particle studies of the effects of RNA-protein interactions on the self-assembly of RNA virus particles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2206292119. [PMID: 36122222 PMCID: PMC9522328 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206292119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the pathways by which simple RNA viruses self-assemble from their coat proteins and RNA is of practical and fundamental interest. Although RNA-protein interactions are thought to play a critical role in the assembly, our understanding of their effects is limited because the assembly process is difficult to observe directly. We address this problem by using interferometric scattering microscopy, a sensitive optical technique with high dynamic range, to follow the in vitro assembly kinetics of more than 500 individual particles of brome mosaic virus (BMV)-for which RNA-protein interactions can be controlled by varying the ionic strength of the buffer. We find that when RNA-protein interactions are weak, BMV assembles by a nucleation-and-growth pathway in which a small cluster of RNA-bound proteins must exceed a critical size before additional proteins can bind. As the strength of RNA-protein interactions increases, the nucleation time becomes shorter and more narrowly distributed, but the time to grow a capsid after nucleation is largely unaffected. These results suggest that the nucleation rate is controlled by RNA-protein interactions, while the growth process is driven less by RNA-protein interactions and more by protein-protein interactions and intraprotein forces. The nucleated pathway observed with the plant virus BMV is strikingly similar to that previously observed with bacteriophage MS2, a phylogenetically distinct virus with a different host kingdom. These results raise the possibility that nucleated assembly pathways might be common to other RNA viruses.
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10
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Li S, Zandi R. Biophysical Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Assembly: Genome Condensation and Budding. Viruses 2022; 14:2089. [PMID: 36298645 PMCID: PMC9611094 DOI: 10.3390/v14102089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred unprecedented and concerted worldwide research to curtail and eradicate this pathogen. SARS-CoV-2 has four structural proteins: Envelope (E), Membrane (M), Nucleocapsid (N), and Spike (S), which self-assemble along with its RNA into the infectious virus by budding from intracellular lipid membranes. In this paper, we develop a model to explore the mechanisms of RNA condensation by structural proteins, protein oligomerization and cellular membrane-protein interactions that control the budding process and the ultimate virus structure. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we have deciphered how the positively charged N proteins interact and condense the very long genomic RNA resulting in its packaging by a lipid envelope decorated with structural proteins inside a host cell. Furthermore, considering the length of RNA and the size of the virus, we find that the intrinsic curvature of M proteins is essential for virus budding. While most current research has focused on the S protein, which is responsible for viral entry, and it has been motivated by the need to develop efficacious vaccines, the development of resistance through mutations in this crucial protein makes it essential to elucidate the details of the viral life cycle to identify other drug targets for future therapy. Our simulations will provide insight into the viral life cycle through the assembly of viral particles de novo and potentially identify therapeutic targets for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Li
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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11
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Dong Y, Zandi R, Travesset A. Exact Solution for Elastic Networks on Curved Surfaces. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:088001. [PMID: 36053686 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.088001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The problem of characterizing the structure of an elastic network constrained to lie on a frozen curved surface appears in many areas of science and has been addressed by many different approaches, most notably, extending linear elasticity or through effective defect interaction models. In this Letter, we show that the problem can be solved by considering nonlinear elasticity in an exact form without resorting to any approximation in terms of geometric quantities. In this way, we are able to consider different effects that have been unwieldy or not viable to include in the past, such as a finite line tension, explicit dependence on the Poisson ratio, or the determination of the particle positions for the entire lattice. Several geometries with rotational symmetry are solved explicitly. Comparison with linear elasticity reveals an agreement that extends beyond its strict range of applicability. Implications for the problem of the characterization of virus assembly are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Dong
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Alex Travesset
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University and Ames Lab, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
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12
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Timmermans SBPE, Ramezani A, Montalvo T, Nguyen M, van der Schoot P, van Hest JCM, Zandi R. The Dynamics of Viruslike Capsid Assembly and Disassembly. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:12608-12612. [PMID: 35792573 PMCID: PMC9305980 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c04074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Cowpea chlorotic
mottle virus (CCMV) is a widely used model for
virus replication studies. A major challenge lies in distinguishing
between the roles of the interaction between coat proteins and that
between the coat proteins and the viral RNA in assembly and disassembly
processes. Here, we report on the spontaneous and reversible size
conversion of the empty capsids of a CCMV capsid protein functionalized
with a hydrophobic elastin-like polypeptide which occurs following
a pH jump. We monitor the concentrations of T = 3
and T = 1 capsids as a function of time and show
that the time evolution of the conversion from one T number to another is not symmetric: The conversion from T = 1 to T = 3 is a factor of 10 slower
than that of T = 3 to T = 1. We
explain our experimental findings using a simple model based on classical
nucleation theory applied to virus capsids, in which we account for
the change in the free protein concentration, as the different types
of shells assemble and disassemble by shedding or absorbing single
protein subunits. As far as we are aware, this is the first study
confirming that both the assembly and disassembly of viruslike shells
can be explained through classical nucleation theory, reproducing
quantitatively results from time-resolved experiments
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne B. P. E. Timmermans
- Bio-Organic Chemistry Research Group, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Alireza Ramezani
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Toni Montalvo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Mark Nguyen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Paul van der Schoot
- Soft Matter and Biological Physics Group, Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Jan C. M. van Hest
- Bio-Organic Chemistry Research Group, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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13
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Edwardson TGW, Levasseur MD, Tetter S, Steinauer A, Hori M, Hilvert D. Protein Cages: From Fundamentals to Advanced Applications. Chem Rev 2022; 122:9145-9197. [PMID: 35394752 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Proteins that self-assemble into polyhedral shell-like structures are useful molecular containers both in nature and in the laboratory. Here we review efforts to repurpose diverse protein cages, including viral capsids, ferritins, bacterial microcompartments, and designed capsules, as vaccines, drug delivery vehicles, targeted imaging agents, nanoreactors, templates for controlled materials synthesis, building blocks for higher-order architectures, and more. A deep understanding of the principles underlying the construction, function, and evolution of natural systems has been key to tailoring selective cargo encapsulation and interactions with both biological systems and synthetic materials through protein engineering and directed evolution. The ability to adapt and design increasingly sophisticated capsid structures and functions stands to benefit the fields of catalysis, materials science, and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephan Tetter
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Angela Steinauer
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mao Hori
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Donald Hilvert
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Abstract
Simple RNA viruses self-assemble spontaneously and encapsulate their genome into a shell called the capsid. This process is mainly driven by the attractive electrostatics interaction between the positive charges on capsid proteins and the negative charges on the genome. Despite its importance and many decades of intense research, how the virus selects and packages its native RNA inside the crowded environment of a host cell cytoplasm in the presence of an abundance of nonviral RNA and other anionic polymers has remained a mystery. In this paper, we perform a series of simulations to monitor the growth of viral shells and find the mechanism by which cargo-coat protein interactions can impact the structure and stability of the viral shells. We show that coat protein subunits can assemble around a globular nucleic acid core by forming nonicosahedral cages, which have been recently observed in assembly experiments involving small pieces of RNA. We find that the resulting cages are strained and can easily be split into fragments along stress lines. This suggests that such metastable nonicosahedral intermediates could be easily reassembled into the stable native icosahedral shells if the larger wild-type genome becomes available, despite the presence of a myriad of nonviral RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Panahandeh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Siyu Li
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Bogdan Dragnea
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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15
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Kim NH, Choi H, Shahzad ZM, Ki H, Lee J, Chae H, Kim YH. Supramolecular assembly of protein building blocks: from folding to function. NANO CONVERGENCE 2022; 9:4. [PMID: 35024976 PMCID: PMC8755899 DOI: 10.1186/s40580-021-00294-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Several phenomena occurring throughout the life of living things start and end with proteins. Various proteins form one complex structure to control detailed reactions. In contrast, one protein forms various structures and implements other biological phenomena depending on the situation. The basic principle that forms these hierarchical structures is protein self-assembly. A single building block is sufficient to create homogeneous structures with complex shapes, such as rings, filaments, or containers. These assemblies are widely used in biology as they enable multivalent binding, ultra-sensitive regulation, and compartmentalization. Moreover, with advances in the computational design of protein folding and protein-protein interfaces, considerable progress has recently been made in the de novo design of protein assemblies. Our review presents a description of the components of supramolecular protein assembly and their application in understanding biological phenomena to therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam Hyeong Kim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Hojae Choi
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Zafar Muhammad Shahzad
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Heesoo Ki
- Department of Nano Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaekyoung Lee
- Department of Nano Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Heeyeop Chae
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Ho Kim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Nano Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Parra-Ortiz E, Malmsten M. Photocatalytic nanoparticles - From membrane interactions to antimicrobial and antiviral effects. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 299:102526. [PMID: 34610862 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2021.102526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
As a result of increasing resistance among pathogens against antibiotics and anti-viral therapeutics, nanomaterials are attracting current interest as antimicrobial agents. Such materials offer triggered functionalities to combat challenging infections, based on either direct membrane action, effects of released ions, thermal shock induced by either light or magnetic fields, or oxidative photocatalysis. In the present overview, we focus on photocatalytic antimicrobial effects, in which light exposure triggers generation of reactive oxygen species. These, in turn, cause oxidative damage to key components in bacteria and viruses, including lipid membranes, lipopolysaccharides, proteins, and DNA/RNA. While an increasing body of studies demonstrate that potent antimicrobial effects can be achieved by photocatalytic nanomaterials, understanding of the mechanistic foundation underlying such effects is still in its infancy. Addressing this, we here provide an overview of the current understanding of the interaction of photocatalytic nanomaterials with pathogen membranes and membrane components, and how this translates into antibacterial and antiviral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Parra-Ortiz
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Malmsten
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Physical Chemistry 1, University of Lund, S-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
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17
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Uchida M, Manzo E, Echeveria D, Jiménez S, Lovell L. Harnessing physicochemical properties of virus capsids for designing enzyme confined nanocompartments. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 52:250-257. [PMID: 34974380 PMCID: PMC8939255 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Viruses have drawn significant scientific interest from a wide variety of disciplines beyond virology because of their elegant architectures and delicately balanced activities. A virus-like particle (VLP), a noninfectious protein cage derived from viruses or other cage-forming proteins, has been exploited as a nano-scale platform for bioinspired engineering and synthetic manipulation with a range of applications. Encapsulation of functional proteins, especially enzymes, is an emerging use of VLPs that is promising not only for developing efficient and robust catalytic materials, but also for providing fundamental insights into the effects of enzyme compartmentalization commonly observed in cells. This review highlights recent advances in employing VLPs as a container for confining enzymes. To accomplish larger and more controlled enzyme loading, various different enzyme encapsulation strategies have been developed; many of these strategies are inspired from assembly and genome loading mechanisms of viral capsids. Characterization of VLPs’ physicochemical properties, such as porosity, could lead to rational manipulation and a better understanding of the catalytic behavior of the materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fresno, 2555 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno, CA 93740, USA.
| | - Elia Manzo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fresno, 2555 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno, CA 93740, USA
| | - Dustin Echeveria
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fresno, 2555 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno, CA 93740, USA
| | - Sophie Jiménez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fresno, 2555 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno, CA 93740, USA
| | - Logan Lovell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fresno, 2555 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno, CA 93740, USA
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18
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Knobler CM, Gelbart WM. How and why RNA genomes are (partially) ordered in viral capsids. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 52:203-210. [PMID: 34959081 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
There is a long and productive progression of X-ray crystallographic and electron microscopy studies establishing the structures of the spherical/icosahedral and cylindrical/helical capsids of a wide range of virus particles. This is because of the high degree of order - down to the Angstrom scale - in the secondary/tertiary/quaternary structure of the proteins making up the capsids. In stark contradistinction, very little is known about the structure of DNA or RNA genomes inside these capsids. This is because of the relatively large extent of disorder in the confined DNA or RNA, due to several fundamental reasons: topological defects in the DNA case, and secondary/tertiary structural disorder in the RNA case. In this article we discuss the range of partial order associated with the encapsidated genomes of single-stranded RNA viruses, focusing on the contrast between mono-partite and multi-partite viruses and on the effects of sequence-specific and non-specific interactions between RNA and capsid proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Knobler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - William M Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, United States; California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, United States.
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19
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Liu Q, Shaukat A, Kyllönen D, Kostiainen MA. Polyelectrolyte Encapsulation and Confinement within Protein Cage-Inspired Nanocompartments. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1551. [PMID: 34683843 PMCID: PMC8537137 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein cages are nanocompartments with a well-defined structure and monodisperse size. They are composed of several individual subunits and can be categorized as viral and non-viral protein cages. Native viral cages often exhibit a cationic interior, which binds the anionic nucleic acid genome through electrostatic interactions leading to efficient encapsulation. Non-viral cages can carry various cargo, ranging from small molecules to inorganic nanoparticles. Both cage types can be functionalized at targeted locations through genetic engineering or chemical modification to entrap materials through interactions that are inaccessible to wild-type cages. Moreover, the limited number of constitutional subunits ease the modification efforts, because a single modification on the subunit can lead to multiple functional sites on the cage surface. Increasing efforts have also been dedicated to the assembly of protein cage-mimicking structures or templated protein coatings. This review focuses on native and modified protein cages that have been used to encapsulate and package polyelectrolyte cargos and on the electrostatic interactions that are the driving force for the assembly of such structures. Selective encapsulation can protect the payload from the surroundings, shield the potential toxicity or even enhance the intended performance of the payload, which is appealing in drug or gene delivery and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland; (Q.L.); (A.S.); (D.K.)
| | - Ahmed Shaukat
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland; (Q.L.); (A.S.); (D.K.)
| | - Daniella Kyllönen
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland; (Q.L.); (A.S.); (D.K.)
| | - Mauri A. Kostiainen
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland; (Q.L.); (A.S.); (D.K.)
- HYBER Center, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland
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20
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Marichal L, Gargowitsch L, Rubim RL, Sizun C, Kra K, Bressanelli S, Dong Y, Panahandeh S, Zandi R, Tresset G. Relationships between RNA topology and nucleocapsid structure in a model icosahedral virus. Biophys J 2021; 120:3925-3936. [PMID: 34418368 PMCID: PMC8511167 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The process of genome packaging in most of viruses is poorly understood, notably the role of the genome itself in the nucleocapsid structure. For simple icosahedral single-stranded RNA viruses, the branched topology due to the RNA secondary structure is thought to lower the free energy required to complete a virion. We investigate the structure of nucleocapsids packaging RNA segments with various degrees of compactness by small-angle x-ray scattering and cryotransmission electron microscopy. The structural differences are mild even though compact RNA segments lead on average to better-ordered and more uniform particles across the sample. Numerical calculations confirm that the free energy is lowered for the RNA segments displaying the larger number of branch points. The effect is, however, opposite with synthetic polyelectrolytes, in which a star topology gives rise to more disorder in the capsids than a linear topology. If RNA compactness and size account in part for the proper assembly of the nucleocapsid and the genome selectivity, other factors most likely related to the host cell environment during viral assembly must come into play as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Marichal
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Orsay, France
| | - Laetitia Gargowitsch
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Orsay, France
| | - Rafael Leite Rubim
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Orsay, France
| | - Christina Sizun
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Kalouna Kra
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Stéphane Bressanelli
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Yinan Dong
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Sanaz Panahandeh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Guillaume Tresset
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Orsay, France.
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21
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Hagan MF, Grason GM. Equilibrium mechanisms of self-limiting assembly. REVIEWS OF MODERN PHYSICS 2021; 93:025008. [PMID: 35221384 PMCID: PMC8880259 DOI: 10.1103/revmodphys.93.025008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembly is a ubiquitous process in synthetic and biological systems, broadly defined as the spontaneous organization of multiple subunits (e.g. macromolecules, particles) into ordered multi-unit structures. The vast majority of equilibrium assembly processes give rise to two states: one consisting of dispersed disassociated subunits, and the other, a bulk-condensed state of unlimited size. This review focuses on the more specialized class of self-limiting assembly, which describes equilibrium assembly processes resulting in finite-size structures. These systems pose a generic and basic question, how do thermodynamic processes involving non-covalent interactions between identical subunits "measure" and select the size of assembled structures? In this review, we begin with an introduction to the basic statistical mechanical framework for assembly thermodynamics, and use this to highlight the key physical ingredients that ensure equilibrium assembly will terminate at finite dimensions. Then, we introduce examples of self-limiting assembly systems, and classify them within this framework based on two broad categories: self-closing assemblies and open-boundary assemblies. These include well-known cases in biology and synthetic soft matter - micellization of amphiphiles and shell/tubule formation of tapered subunits - as well as less widely known classes of assemblies, such as short-range attractive/long-range repulsive systems and geometrically-frustrated assemblies. For each of these self-limiting mechanisms, we describe the physical mechanisms that select equilibrium assembly size, as well as potential limitations of finite-size selection. Finally, we discuss alternative mechanisms for finite-size assemblies, and draw contrasts with the size-control that these can achieve relative to self-limitation in equilibrium, single-species assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Hagan
- Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Gregory M Grason
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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22
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Qu N, Luo Z, Zhao S, Liu B. Frame-Guided Synthesis of Polymeric Colloidal Discs. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:1790-1797. [PMID: 33467847 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c08627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anisotropic colloidal particles are important building blocks for the studies of self-assembly, which are visualized models for basic research and can be used to construct structured materials. Discs are one of the most typical anisotropic colloids; however, the synthesis of monodisperse colloidal discs with well-defined shape remains a challenge. Here we report a novel strategy for synthesizing polymeric discs based on frame-guided droplet shrinkage. This was realized by creating frame/liquid core/shell rings and utilizing the shrinking instability of the liquid rings. The resulting disc's shape parameters are tunable. The method is general, is not limited to specific polymers, solvents, and frames, and therefore has the potential to afford a variety of polymer discs. We also demonstrate the possibility of tuning the surface chemistry of the discs through surface-initiated polymerization. The frame-guided droplet shrinkage method opens up a new way to design and fabricate colloidal particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Qu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Zhang Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Shuping Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100149, China
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23
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Comas-Garcia M, Colunga-Saucedo M, Rosales-Mendoza S. The Role of Virus-Like Particles in Medical Biotechnology. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:4407-4420. [PMID: 33147978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are protein-based, nanoscale, self-assembling, cage architectures, which have relevant applications in biomedicine. They can be used for the development of vaccines, imaging approaches, drug and gene therapy delivery systems, and in vitro diagnostic methods. Today, three relevant viruses are targeted using VLP-based recombinant vaccines. VLP-based drug delivery, nanoreactors for therapy, and imaging systems are approaches under development with promising outcomes. Several VLP-based vaccines are under clinical evaluation. Herein, an updated view on the VLP-based biomedical applications is provided; advanced methods for the production, functionalization, and drug loading of VLPs are described, and perspectives for the field are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Comas-Garcia
- Department of Sciences, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78295, México.,Genomic Medicine Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México.,High-Resolution Microscopy Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México
| | - Mayra Colunga-Saucedo
- Genomic Medicine Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México
| | - Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Departament of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México.,Biotechnology Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México
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24
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Xu C, Zhu W, Mao H, Zhang W, Yin GQ, Zhang XE, Li F. Switch from Polymorphic to Homogenous Self-Assembly of Virus-Like Particles of Simian Virus 40 through Double-Cysteine Substitution. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2004484. [PMID: 33063476 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202004484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembled virus-like particles (VLPs) hold great potential as natural nanomaterials for applications in many fields. For such purposes, monodisperse size distribution is a desirable property. However, the VLPs of simian virus 40 (SV40), a representative VLP platform, are characterized by polymorphism. In an attempt to eliminate the polymorphism, 15 mutants of the VLP subunit (VP1) are constructed through the substitution of double cysteines at the VP1 pentamer interfaces, generating a group of VLPs with altered size distributions. One of the mutants, SS2 (L102C/P300C), specifically forms homogenous T = 1-like tiny VLPs of 24 ± 3 nm in diameter. Moreover, the stability of the SS2 VLPs is markedly enhanced compared with that of wild-type VLPs. The homogeneous self-assembly and stability enhancement of SS2 VLPs can be attributed to the new disulfide bonds contributed by Cys102 and Cys300, which are identified by mass spectrometry and explored by molecular dynamics simulations. Endocytosis inhibition assays indicate that SS2 VLPs, like the polymorphic wild-type VLPs, preserve the multipathway feature of cellular uptake. SS2 VLPs may serve as an evolved version of SV40 VLPs in future studies and applications. The findings of this work would be useful for the design and fabrication of VLP-based materials and devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengchen Xu
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430071, P. R. China
| | - Weiwei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430071, P. R. China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Hanjing Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430071, P. R. China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430071, P. R. China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Gen-Quan Yin
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, P. R. China
| | - Xian-En Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, P. R. China
| | - Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430071, P. R. China
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25
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Shahgolzari M, Pazhouhandeh M, Milani M, Yari Khosroushahi A, Fiering S. Plant viral nanoparticles for packaging and in vivo delivery of bioactive cargos. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 12:e1629. [PMID: 32249552 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles have unique capabilities and considerable promise for many different biological uses. One capability is delivering bioactive cargos to specific cells, tissues, or organisms. Depending on the task, there are multiple variables to consider including nanoparticle selection, targeting strategies, and incorporating cargo so it can be delivered in a biologically active form. One nanoparticle option, genetically controlled plant viral nanoparticles (PVNPs), is highly uniform within a given virus but quite variable between viruses with a broad range of useful properties. PVNPs are flexible and versatile tools for incorporating and delivering a wide range of small or large molecule cargos. Furthermore, PVNPs can be modified to create nanostructures that can solve problems in medical, environmental, and basic research. This review discusses the currently available techniques for delivering bioactive cargos with PVNPs and potential cargos that can be delivered with these strategies. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus-Based Structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Shahgolzari
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maghsoud Pazhouhandeh
- Biotechnology Department, Agricultural Faculty, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Morteza Milani
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ahmad Yari Khosroushahi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Steven Fiering
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
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26
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Schlicksup CJ, Zlotnick A. Viral structural proteins as targets for antivirals. Curr Opin Virol 2020; 45:43-50. [PMID: 32777753 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Viral structural proteins are emerging as effective targets for new antivirals. In a viral lifecycle, the capsid must assemble, disassemble, and respond to host proteins, all at the right time and place. These reactions work within a narrow range of conditions, making them susceptible to small molecule interference. In at least three specific viruses, this approach has had met with preliminary success. In rhinovirus and poliovirus, compounds like pleconaril bind capsid and block RNA release. Bevirimat binds to Gag protein in HIV, inhibiting maturation. In Hepatitis B virus, core protein allosteric modulators (CpAMs) promote spontaneous assembly of capsid protein leading to empty and aberrant particles. Despite the biological diversity between viruses and the chemical diversity between antiviral molecules, we observe common features in these antivirals' mechanisms of action. These approaches work by stabilizing protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher John Schlicksup
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47401, United States
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47401, United States.
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27
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Fu J, Woycechowsky KJ. Guest Sequence Can Influence RNA Encapsulation by an Engineered Cationic Protein Capsid. Biochemistry 2020; 59:1517-1526. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 300072 Tianjin, China
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28
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Zhou K, Zhou Y, Pan V, Wang Q, Ke Y. Programming Dynamic Assembly of Viral Proteins with DNA Origami. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:5929-5932. [PMID: 32191463 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b13773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Biomolecular assembly in biological systems is typically a complex dynamic process regulated by the exchange of molecular information between biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Here, we demonstrate a nucleic-acid-based system that can program the dynamic assembly process of viral proteins. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) genome-mimicking RNA is anchored on DNA origami nanostructures via hybridization with a series of DNA strands which also function as locks that prevent the packaging of RNA by the TMV proteins. The selective, sequential releasing of the RNA via toehold-mediated strand displacement allows us to program the availability of RNA and subsequently the TMV growth in situ. Furthermore, the programmable dynamic assembly of TMV on DNA templates also enables the production of new DNA-protein hybrid nanostructures, which are not attainable by using previous assembly methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yihao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Victor Pan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Qiangbin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yonggang Ke
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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29
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Viruses with different genome types adopt a similar strategy to pack nucleic acids based on positively charged protein domains. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5470. [PMID: 32214181 PMCID: PMC7096446 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62328-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Capsid proteins often present a positively charged arginine-rich sequence at their terminal regions, which has a fundamental role in genome packaging and particle stability for some icosahedral viruses. These sequences show little to no conservation and are structurally dynamic such that they cannot be easily detected by common sequence or structure comparisons. As a result, the occurrence and distribution of positively charged domains across the viral universe are unknown. Based on the net charge calculation of discrete protein segments, we identified proteins containing amino acid stretches with a notably high net charge (Q > + 17), which are enriched in icosahedral viruses with a distinctive bias towards arginine over lysine. We used viral particle structural data to calculate the total electrostatic charge derived from the most positively charged protein segment of capsid proteins and correlated these values with genome charges arising from the phosphates of each nucleotide. We obtained a positive correlation (r = 0.91, p-value <0001) for a group of 17 viral families, corresponding to 40% of all families with icosahedral structures described to date. These data indicated that unrelated viruses with diverse genome types adopt a common underlying mechanism for capsid assembly based on R-arms.
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30
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Panahandeh S, Li S, Marichal L, Leite Rubim R, Tresset G, Zandi R. How a Virus Circumvents Energy Barriers to Form Symmetric Shells. ACS NANO 2020; 14:3170-3180. [PMID: 32115940 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b08354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Previous self-assembly experiments on a model icosahedral plant virus have shown that, under physiological conditions, capsid proteins initially bind to the genome through an en masse mechanism and form nucleoprotein complexes in a disordered state, which raises the question as to how virions are assembled into a highly ordered structure in the host cell. Using small-angle X-ray scattering, we find out that a disorder-order transition occurs under physiological conditions upon an increase in capsid protein concentrations. Our cryo-transmission electron microscopy reveals closed spherical shells containing in vitro transcribed viral RNA even at pH 7.5, in marked contrast with the previous observations. We use Monte Carlo simulations to explain this disorder-order transition and find that, as the shell grows, the structures of disordered intermediates in which the distribution of pentamers does not belong to the icosahedral subgroups become energetically so unfavorable that the caps can easily dissociate and reassemble, overcoming the energy barriers for the formation of perfect icosahedral shells. In addition, we monitor the growth of capsids under the condition that the nucleation and growth is the dominant pathway and show that the key for the disorder-order transition in both en masse and nucleation and growth pathways lies in the strength of elastic energy compared to the other forces in the system including protein-protein interactions and the chemical potential of free subunits. Our findings explain, at least in part, why perfect virions with icosahedral order form under different conditions including physiological ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Panahandeh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Siyu Li
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Laurent Marichal
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Rafael Leite Rubim
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Guillaume Tresset
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Roya Zandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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31
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Asor R, Khaykelson D, Ben-Nun-Shaul O, Levi-Kalisman Y, Oppenheim A, Raviv U. pH stability and disassembly mechanism of wild-type simian virus 40. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:2803-2814. [PMID: 32104873 PMCID: PMC7189960 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm02436k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are remarkable self-assembled nanobiomaterial-based machines, exposed to a wide range of pH values. Extreme pH values can induce dramatic structural changes, critical for the function of the virus nanoparticles, including assembly and genome uncoating. Tuning cargo-capsid interactions is essential for designing virus-based delivery systems. Here we show how pH controls the structure and activity of wild-type simian virus 40 (wtSV40) and the interplay between its cargo and capsid. Using cryo-TEM and solution X-ray scattering, we found that wtSV40 was stable between pH 5.5 and 9, and only slightly swelled with increasing pH. At pH 3, the particles aggregated, while capsid protein pentamers continued to coat the virus cargo but lost their positional correlations. Infectivity was only partly lost after the particles were returned to pH 7. At pH 10 or higher, the particles were unstable, lost their infectivity, and disassembled. Using time-resolved experiments we discovered that disassembly began by swelling of the particles, poking a hole in the capsid through which the genetic cargo escaped, followed by a slight shrinking of the capsids and complete disassembly. These findings provide insight into the fundamental intermolecular forces, essential for SV40 function, and for designing virus-based nanobiomaterials, including delivery systems and antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Asor
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel.
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32
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Buzón P, Maity S, Roos WH. Physical virology: From virus self-assembly to particle mechanics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 12:e1613. [PMID: 31960585 PMCID: PMC7317356 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Viruses are highly ordered supramolecular complexes that have evolved to propagate by hijacking the host cell's machinery. Although viruses are very diverse, spreading through cells of all kingdoms of life, they share common functions and properties. Next to the general interest in virology, fundamental viral mechanisms are of growing importance in other disciplines such as biomedicine and (bio)nanotechnology. However, in order to optimally make use of viruses and virus-like particles, for instance as vehicle for targeted drug delivery or as building blocks in electronics, it is essential to understand their basic chemical and physical properties and characteristics. In this context, the number of studies addressing the mechanisms governing viral properties and processes has recently grown drastically. This review summarizes a specific part of these scientific achievements, particularly addressing physical virology approaches aimed to understand the self-assembly of viruses and the mechanical properties of viral particles. Using a physicochemical perspective, we have focused on fundamental studies providing an overview of the molecular basis governing these key aspects of viral systems. This article is categorized under: Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus-Based Structures Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Buzón
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sourav Maity
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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33
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Finally, a Role Befitting A star: Strongly Conserved, Unessential Microvirus A* Proteins Ensure the Product Fidelity of Packaging Reactions. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01593-19. [PMID: 31666371 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01593-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In microviruses, 60 copies of the positively charged DNA binding protein J guide the single-stranded DNA genome into the icosahedral capsid. Consequently, ∼12% of the genome is icosahedrally ordered within virions. Although the internal volume of the ϕX174, G4, and α3 capsids are nearly identical, their genome lengths vary widely from 5,386 (ϕX174) to 6,067 (α3) nucleotides. As the genome size increases, the J protein's length and charge decreases. The ϕX174 J protein is 37 amino acids long and has a charge of +12, whereas the 23-residue G4 and α3 proteins have respective +6 and +8 charges. While the large ϕX174 J protein can substitute for the smaller ones, the converse is not true. Thus, the smallest genome, ϕX174, requires the more stringent J protein packaging guide. To investigate this further, a chimeric virus (ϕXG4J) was generated by replacing the indigenous ϕX174 J gene with that of G4. The resulting mutant, ϕXG4J, was not viable on the level of plaque formation without ϕX174 J gene complementation. During uncomplemented infections, capsids dissociated during packaging or quickly thereafter. Those that survived were significantly less stable and infectious than the wild type. Complementation-independent ϕXG4J variants were isolated. They contained duplications that increased genome size by as much as 3.8%. Each duplication started at nucleotide 991, creating an additional DNA substrate for the unessential but highly conserved A* protein. Accordingly, ϕXG4J viability and infectivity was also restored by the exogenous expression of a cloned A* gene.IMPORTANCE Double-stranded DNA viruses typically package their genomes into a preformed capsid. In contrast, single-stranded RNA viruses assemble their coat proteins around their genomes via extensive nucleotide-protein interactions. Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) viruses appear to blend both strategies, using nucleotide-protein interactions to organize their genomes into preformed shells, likely by a controlled process. Chaotic genome-capsid associations could inhibit packaging or genome release during the subsequent infection. This process appears to be partially controlled by the unessential A* protein, a shorter version of the essential A protein that mediates rolling-circle DNA replication. Protein A* may elevate fitness by ensuring the product fidelity of packaging reactions. This phenomenon may be widespread in ssDNA viruses that simultaneously synthesize and package DNA with rolling circle and rolling circle-like DNA replication proteins. Many of these viruses encode smaller, unessential, and/or functionally undefined in-frame versions of A/A*-like proteins.
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34
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Pretto C, van Hest JCM. Versatile Reversible Cross-Linking Strategy to Stabilize CCMV Virus Like Particles for Efficient siRNA Delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2019; 30:3069-3077. [PMID: 31765129 PMCID: PMC6923791 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Virus like particles obtained from the Cowpea Chlorotic
Mottle
Virus (CCMV) represent an innovative platform for drug delivery applications.
Their unique reversible self-assembly properties as well as their
suitability for both cargo loading and functionalization make them
a versatile scaffold for numerous purposes. One of the main drawbacks
of this platform is however its limited stability at physiological
conditions. Herein, we report the development of a general reversible
cross-linking strategy involving the homobifunctional cross-linker
DTSSP (3,3′-dithiobis (sulfosuccinimidylpropionate)) which
is suitable for particle stabilization. This methodology is adaptable
to different CCMV variants in the presence or absence of a stabilizing
cargo without varying neither particle shape nor size thus extending
the potential use of these protein cages in nanomedical applications.
Cross-linked particles are stable at neutral pH and 37 °C and
they are capable of protecting loaded cargo against enzymatic digestion.
Furthermore, the reversible nature of the cross-linking ensures particle
disassembly when they are taken up by cells. This was demonstrated
via the highly effective delivery of active siRNA into cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Pretto
- Eindhoven University of Technology , Institute for Complex Molecular Systems , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
| | - Jan C M van Hest
- Eindhoven University of Technology , Institute for Complex Molecular Systems , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven , The Netherlands
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35
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Wege C, Koch C. From stars to stripes: RNA-directed shaping of plant viral protein templates-structural synthetic virology for smart biohybrid nanostructures. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 12:e1591. [PMID: 31631528 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The self-assembly of viral building blocks bears exciting prospects for fabricating new types of bionanoparticles with multivalent protein shells. These enable a spatially controlled immobilization of functionalities at highest surface densities-an increasing demand worldwide for applications from vaccination to tissue engineering, biocatalysis, and sensing. Certain plant viruses hold particular promise because they are sustainably available, biodegradable, nonpathogenic for mammals, and amenable to in vitro self-organization of virus-like particles. This offers great opportunities for their redesign into novel "green" carrier systems by spatial and structural synthetic biology approaches, as worked out here for the robust nanotubular tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) as prime example. Natural TMV of 300 x 18 nm is built from more than 2,100 identical coat proteins (CPs) helically arranged around a 6,395 nucleotides ssRNA. In vitro, TMV-like particles (TLPs) may self-assemble also from modified CPs and RNAs if the latter contain an Origin of Assembly structure, which initiates a bidirectional encapsidation. By way of tailored RNA, the process can be reprogrammed to yield uncommon shapes such as branched nanoobjects. The nonsymmetric mechanism also proceeds on 3'-terminally immobilized RNA and can integrate distinct CP types in blends or serially. Other emerging plant virus-deduced systems include the usually isometric cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) with further strikingly altered structures up to "cherrybombs" with protruding nucleic acids. Cartoon strips and pictorial descriptions of major RNA-based strategies induct the reader into a rare field of nanoconstruction that can give rise to utile soft-matter architectures for complex tasks. This article is categorized under: Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus-Based Structures Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid-Based Structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Wege
- Department of Molecular Biology and Plant Virology, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Claudia Koch
- Department of Molecular Biology and Plant Virology, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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36
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Thurm AR, Beren C, Duran-Meza AL, Knobler CM, Gelbart WM. RNA Homopolymers Form Higher-Curvature Virus-like Particles Than Do Normal-Composition RNAs. Biophys J 2019; 117:1331-1341. [PMID: 31514968 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike double-stranded DNA, single-stranded RNA can be spontaneously packaged into spherical capsids by viral capsid protein (CP) because it is a more compact and flexible polymer. Many systematic investigations of this self-assembly process have been carried out using CP from cowpea chlorotic mottle virus, with a wide range of sequences and lengths of single-stranded RNA. Among these studies are measurements of the relative packaging efficiencies of these RNAs into spherical capsids. In this work, we address a fundamental issue that has received very little attention, namely the question of the preferred curvature of the capsid formed around different RNA molecules. We show in particular that homopolymers of RNA-polyribouridylic acid and polyriboadenylic acid-form exclusively T = 2-sized (∼22-nm diameter) virus-like particles (VLPs) when mixed with cowpea chlorotic mottle virus CP, independent of their length, ranging from 500 to more than 4000 nucleotides. This is in contrast to "normal-composition" RNAs (i.e., molecules with comparable numbers of each of the four nucleotides and hence capable of developing a large amount of secondary structure because of intramolecular complementarity/basepairing); a curvature corresponding to T = 3-size (∼28 nm in diameter) is preferred for the VLPs formed with such RNAs. Our work is consistent with the preferred curvature of VLPs being a consequence of interaction of CP with RNA-in particular, the presence or absence of short RNA duplexes-and suggests that the equilibrium size of the capsid results from a trade-off between this optimum size and the cost of confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby R Thurm
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Christian Beren
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ana Luisa Duran-Meza
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Charles M Knobler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - William M Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California.
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37
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Marchetti M, Kamsma D, Cazares Vargas E, Hernandez García A, van der Schoot P, de Vries R, Wuite GJL, Roos WH. Real-Time Assembly of Viruslike Nucleocapsids Elucidated at the Single-Particle Level. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:5746-5753. [PMID: 31368710 PMCID: PMC6696885 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b02376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
While the structure of a multitude of viral particles has been resolved to atomistic detail, their assembly pathways remain largely elusive. Key unresolved issues are particle nucleation, particle growth, and the mode of genome compaction. These issues are difficult to address in bulk approaches and are effectively only accessible by the real-time tracking of assembly dynamics of individual particles. This we do here by studying the assembly into rod-shaped viruslike particles (VLPs) of artificial capsid polypeptides. Using fluorescence optical tweezers, we establish that small oligomers perform one-dimensional diffusion along the DNA. Larger oligomers are immobile and nucleate VLP growth. A multiplexed acoustic force spectroscopy approach reveals that DNA is compacted in regular steps, suggesting packaging via helical wrapping into a nucleocapsid. By reporting how real-time assembly tracking elucidates viral nucleation and growth principles, our work opens the door to a fundamental understanding of the complex assembly pathways of both VLPs and naturally evolved viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Marchetti
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Moleculaire
Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit
Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Douwe Kamsma
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Cazares Vargas
- Institute
of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry of Biomacromolecules, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Armando Hernandez García
- Institute
of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry of Biomacromolecules, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul van der Schoot
- Institute
for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University, 3512 JE Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University
of Technology, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Renko de Vries
- Laboratory
of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gijs J. L. Wuite
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- E-mail:
| | - Wouter H. Roos
- Moleculaire
Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit
Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
- E-mail:
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38
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Asor R, Selzer L, Schlicksup CJ, Zhao Z, Zlotnick A, Raviv U. Assembly Reactions of Hepatitis B Capsid Protein into Capsid Nanoparticles Follow a Narrow Path through a Complex Reaction Landscape. ACS NANO 2019; 13:7610-7626. [PMID: 31173689 PMCID: PMC7243059 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
For many viruses, capsids (biological nanoparticles) assemble to protect genetic material and dissociate to release their cargo. To understand these contradictory properties, we analyzed capsid assembly for hepatitis B virus; an endemic pathogen with an icosahedral, 120-homodimer capsid. We used solution X-ray scattering to examine trapped and equilibrated assembly reactions. To fit experimental results, we generated a library of distinct intermediates, selected by umbrella sampling of Monte Carlo simulations. The number of possible capsid intermediates is immense, ∼1030, yet assembly reactions are rapid and completed with high fidelity. If the huge number of possible intermediates were actually present, maximum entropy analysis shows that assembly reactions would be blocked by an entropic barrier, resulting in incomplete nanoparticles. When an energetic term was applied to select the stable species that dominated the reaction mixture, we found only a few hundred intermediates, mapping out a narrow path through the immense reaction landscape. This is a solution to a viral application of the Levinthal paradox. With the correct energetic term, the match between predicted intermediates and scattering data was striking. The grand canonical free energy landscape for assembly, calibrated by our experimental results, supports a detailed analysis of this complex reaction. There is a narrow range of energies that supports on-path assembly. If association energy is too weak or too strong, progressively more intermediates will be entropically blocked, spilling into paths leading to dissociation or trapped incomplete nanoparticles, respectively. These results are relevant to many viruses and provide a basis for simplifying assembly models and identifying new targets for antiviral intervention. They provide a basis for understanding and designing biological and abiological self-assembly reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Asor
- Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401 , Israel
| | - Lisa Selzer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
- Department of Genetics , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
| | - Christopher John Schlicksup
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Zhongchao Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Uri Raviv
- Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401 , Israel
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39
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Edwardson TGW, Hilvert D. Virus-Inspired Function in Engineered Protein Cages. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:9432-9443. [PMID: 31117660 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b03705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The structural and functional diversity of proteins combined with their genetic programmability has made them indispensable modern materials. Well-defined, hollow protein capsules have proven to be particularly useful due to their ability to compartmentalize macromolecules and chemical processes. To this end, viral capsids are common scaffolds and have been successfully repurposed to produce a suite of practical protein-based nanotechnologies. Recently, the recapitulation of viromimetic function in protein cages of nonviral origin has emerged as a strategy to both complement physical studies of natural viruses and produce useful scaffolds for diverse applications. In this perspective, we review recent progress toward generation of virus-like behavior in nonviral protein cages through rational engineering and directed evolution. These artificial systems can aid our understanding of the emergence of viruses from existing cellular components, as well as provide alternative approaches to tackle current problems, and open up new opportunities, in medicine and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Donald Hilvert
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry , ETH Zurich , 8093 Zurich , Switzerland
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40
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Biddlecome A, Habte HH, McGrath KM, Sambanthamoorthy S, Wurm M, Sykora MM, Knobler CM, Lorenz IC, Lasaro M, Elbers K, Gelbart WM. Delivery of self-amplifying RNA vaccines in in vitro reconstituted virus-like particles. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215031. [PMID: 31163034 PMCID: PMC6548422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many mRNA-based vaccines have been investigated for their specific potential to activate dendritic cells (DCs), the highly-specialized antigen-presenting cells of the immune system that play a key role in inducing effective CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses. In this paper we report a new vaccine/gene delivery platform that demonstrates the benefits of using a self-amplifying (“replicon”) mRNA that is protected in a viral-protein capsid. Purified capsid protein from the plant virus Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus (CCMV) is used to in vitro assemble monodisperse virus-like particles (VLPs) containing reporter proteins (e.g., Luciferase or eYFP) or the tandem-repeat model antigen SIINFEKL in RNA gene form, coupled to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from the Nodamura insect virus. Incubation of immature DCs with these VLPs results in increased activation of maturation markers – CD80, CD86 and MHC-II – and enhanced RNA replication levels, relative to incubation with unpackaged replicon mRNA. Higher RNA uptake/replication and enhanced DC activation were detected in a dose-dependent manner when the CCMV-VLPs were pre-incubated with anti-CCMV antibodies. In all experiments the expression of maturation markers correlates with the RNA levels of the DCs. Overall, these studies demonstrate that: VLP protection enhances mRNA uptake by DCs; coupling replicons to the gene of interest increases RNA and protein levels in the cell; and the presence of anti-VLP antibodies enhances mRNA levels and activation of DCs in vitro. Finally, preliminary in vivo experiments involving mouse vaccinations with SIINFEKL-replicon VLPs indicate a small but significant increase in antigen-specific T cells that are doubly positive for IFN and TFN induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Biddlecome
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Habtom H. Habte
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Katherine M. McGrath
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States of America
| | | | - Melanie Wurm
- Boehringer-Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Charles M. Knobler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ivo C. Lorenz
- Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Marcio Lasaro
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Knut Elbers
- Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Biberach, Germany
- * E-mail: (KE); (WMG)
| | - William M. Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KE); (WMG)
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41
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Cristie-David AS, Chen J, Nowak DB, Bondy AL, Sun K, Park SI, Banaszak Holl MM, Su M, Marsh ENG. Coiled-Coil-Mediated Assembly of an Icosahedral Protein Cage with Extremely High Thermal and Chemical Stability. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:9207-9216. [PMID: 31117640 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b13604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The organization of protein molecules into higher-order nanoscale architectures is ubiquitous in Nature and represents an important goal in synthetic biology. Furthermore, the stabilization of enzyme activity has many practical applications in biotechnology and medicine. Here we describe the symmetry-directed design of an extremely stable, enzymatically active, hollow protein cage of Mr ≈ 2.1 MDa with dimensions similar to those of a small icosahedral virus. The cage was constructed based on icosahedral symmetry by genetically fusing a trimeric protein (TriEst) to a small pentameric de novo-designed coiled coil domain, separated by a flexible oligo-glycine linker sequence. Screening a small library of designs in which the linker length varied from 2 to 12 residues identified a construct containing 8 glycine residues (Ico8) that formed well-defined cages. Characterization by dynamic light scattering, negative stain, and cryo-EM and by atomic force and IR-photoinduced force microscopy established that Ico8 assembles into a flexible hollow cage comprising 20 copies of the esterase trimer, 60 protein subunits in total, with overall icosahedral geometry. Notably, the cages formed by Ico8 proved to be extremely stable toward thermal and chemical denaturation: whereas TriEst was unfolded by heating ( Tm ≈ 75 °C) or denatured by 1.5 M guanidine hydrochloride, the Ico8 cages remained folded even at 120 °C or in 8 M guanidine hydrochloride. The increased stability of the cages is a new property that emerges from the higher-order structure of the protein cage, rather than being intrinsic to the components from which it is constructed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajitha S Cristie-David
- Department of Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Junjie Chen
- Department of Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Derek B Nowak
- Molecular Vista Inc , Via Del Oro Suite 110 , San Jose , California 95119 , United States
| | - Amy L Bondy
- Life Sciences Institute , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Kai Sun
- Michigan Center for Materials Characterization , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Sung I Park
- Molecular Vista Inc , Via Del Oro Suite 110 , San Jose , California 95119 , United States
| | - Mark M Banaszak Holl
- Department of Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Min Su
- Life Sciences Institute , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - E Neil G Marsh
- Department of Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
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42
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Twarock R, Stockley PG. RNA-Mediated Virus Assembly: Mechanisms and Consequences for Viral Evolution and Therapy. Annu Rev Biophys 2019; 48:495-514. [PMID: 30951648 PMCID: PMC7612295 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-052118-115611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Viruses, entities composed of nucleic acids, proteins, and in some cases lipids lack the ability to replicate outside their target cells. Their components self-assemble at the nanoscale with exquisite precision-a key to their biological success in infection. Recent advances in structure determination and the development of biophysical tools such as single-molecule spectroscopy and noncovalent mass spectrometry allow unprecedented access to the detailed assembly mechanisms of simple virions. Coupling these techniques with mathematical modeling and bioinformatics has uncovered a previously unsuspected role for genomic RNA in regulating formation of viral capsids, revealing multiple, dispersed RNA sequence/structure motifs [packaging signals (PSs)] that bind cognate coat proteins cooperatively. The PS ensemble controls assembly efficiency and accounts for the packaging specificity seen in vivo. The precise modes of action of the PSs vary between viral families, but this common principle applies across many viral families, including major human pathogens. These insights open up the opportunity to block or repurpose PS function in assembly for both novel antiviral therapy and gene/drug/vaccine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reidun Twarock
- Departments of Mathematics and Biology, and York Cross-disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis, University of York, York YO10 5GE, United Kingdom;
| | - Peter G Stockley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom;
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43
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Comas-Garcia M. Packaging of Genomic RNA in Positive-Sense Single-Stranded RNA Viruses: A Complex Story. Viruses 2019; 11:v11030253. [PMID: 30871184 PMCID: PMC6466141 DOI: 10.3390/v11030253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The packaging of genomic RNA in positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses is a key part of the viral infectious cycle, yet this step is not fully understood. Unlike double-stranded DNA and RNA viruses, this process is coupled with nucleocapsid assembly. The specificity of RNA packaging depends on multiple factors: (i) one or more packaging signals, (ii) RNA replication, (iii) translation, (iv) viral factories, and (v) the physical properties of the RNA. The relative contribution of each of these factors to packaging specificity is different for every virus. In vitro and in vivo data show that there are different packaging mechanisms that control selective packaging of the genomic RNA during nucleocapsid assembly. The goals of this article are to explain some of the key experiments that support the contribution of these factors to packaging selectivity and to draw a general scenario that could help us move towards a better understanding of this step of the viral infectious cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Comas-Garcia
- Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine (CICSaB), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP), Av. Sierra Leona 550 Lomas 2da Seccion, 72810 San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
- Department of Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP), Av. Chapultepec 1570, Privadas del Pedregal, 78295 San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
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44
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de Ruiter MV, Klem R, Luque D, Cornelissen JJLM, Castón JR. Structural nanotechnology: three-dimensional cryo-EM and its use in the development of nanoplatforms for in vitro catalysis. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:4130-4146. [PMID: 30793729 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr09204d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The organization of enzymes into different subcellular compartments is essential for correct cell function. Protein-based cages are a relatively recently discovered subclass of structurally dynamic cellular compartments that can be mimicked in the laboratory to encapsulate enzymes. These synthetic structures can then be used to improve our understanding of natural protein-based cages, or as nanoreactors in industrial catalysis, metabolic engineering, and medicine. Since the function of natural protein-based cages is related to their three-dimensional structure, it is important to determine this at the highest possible resolution if viable nanoreactors are to be engineered. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is ideal for undertaking such analyses within a feasible time frame and at near-native conditions. This review describes how three-dimensional cryo-EM is used in this field and discusses its advantages. An overview is also given of the nanoreactors produced so far, their structure, function, and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark V de Ruiter
- Department of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
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45
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Garmann RF, Knobler CM, Gelbart WM. Protocol for Efficient Cell-Free Synthesis of Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus-Like Particles Containing Heterologous RNAs. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1776:249-265. [PMID: 29869247 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7808-3_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We report a protocol for efficient cell-free synthesis of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV)-like particles containing a broad range of lengths and sequences of RNA. Our protocol starts with a purified stock of wild-type CCMV (protocols for harvesting and purifying the virus are detailed elsewhere) and features three basic steps: disassembly of the CCMV and purification of the capsid protein (CP) from the viral RNA; coassembly of the purified CP and an RNA of choice; and characterization of the assembly products. We highlight several key factors that increase the yield of the assembly reaction: the CP should be uncleaved and sufficiently free of viral RNA; the length of the RNA should be between about 100 and 4000 nucleotides; and the stoichiometry of CP and RNA should be 6-1 by mass. Additionally, we point out that separating the assembly reaction into multiple steps-by successively lowering the ionic strength and then the pH of the assembly buffers-results in the highest yields of well-formed, nuclease-resistant, CCMV-like particles. Finally, we describe methods for characterizing the assembly products using native agarose gel electrophoresis and negative-stain transmission electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rees F Garmann
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Charles M Knobler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - William M Gelbart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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46
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Galeotti F, Pisco M, Cusano A. Self-assembly on optical fibers: a powerful nanofabrication tool for next generation "lab-on-fiber" optrodes. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:22673-22700. [PMID: 30500026 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr06002a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembly offers a unique resource for the preparation of discrete structures at the nano- and microscale, which are either not accessible by other fabrication techniques or require highly expensive and technologically demanding processes. The possibility of obtaining spontaneous organization of separated components, whether they are molecules, polymers, nano- or micro-objects, into a larger functional unit, enables the development of ready-to-use plug and play devices and components at lower costs. Expanding the applicability of self-assembly approaches at the nanoscale to non-conventional substrates would open up new avenues towards multifunctional platforms customized for specific applications. Recently, the combination of the amazing morphological and optical features of self-assembled patterns with the intrinsic properties of optical fibers to conduct light to a remote location has demonstrated the potentiality to open up new intriguing scenarios featuring unprecedented functionalities and performances. The integration of advanced materials and structures at the nanoscale with optical fiber substrates is the idea behind the so-called lab-on-fiber technology, which is an emerging technology at the forefront of nanophotonics and nanotechnology research. Self-assembly processes can have a key role in implementing cost-effective solutions suitable for the mass production of technologically advanced platforms based on optical fibers towards their real market exploitation. Novel lab-on-fiber optrodes would arise from the sustainable integration of functional materials at the nano- and microscale onto optical fiber substrates. Such devices are able to be easily integrated in hypodermic needles and catheters for in vivo theranostics and point-of-care diagnostics, opening up new frontiers in multidisciplinary technological development to be exploited in life science applications. This work is conceived to provide an overview of the latest strategies, based on self-assembly processes, which have been implemented for the realization of lab-on-fiber optrodes with particular emphasis on the perspectives and challenges that lie ahead. We discuss the main fabrication techniques and strategies aimed at developing new multifunctional optical fiber nanoprobes and their application in real scenarios. Finally, we highlight some of the other self-assembly processes that have not yet been applied to optical fiber sensors, but have the potentiality to be exploited in the fabrication of future lab-on-fiber devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Galeotti
- Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISMAC-CNR), 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - M Pisco
- Divisione di Optoelettronica, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università del Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy.
| | - A Cusano
- Divisione di Optoelettronica, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università del Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy.
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47
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Panahandeh S, Li S, Zandi R. The equilibrium structure of self-assembled protein nano-cages. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:22802-22809. [PMID: 30516220 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr07202g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how highly symmetric, robust, monodisperse protein nano-cages self-assemble can have major applications in various areas of bio-nanotechnology, such as drug delivery, biomedical imaging and gene therapy. We develop a model to investigate the assembly of protein subunits into the structures with different sizes and symmetries. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we obtain global minimum energy structures. Our results suggest that the physical properties including the spontaneous curvature, flexibility and bending rigidity of coat proteins are sufficient to predict the size, symmetry and shape selectivity of the assembly products. Further, on a thermodynamic basis, we discuss the polymorphism of nano-cages observed in assembly experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Panahandeh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA.
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48
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Nanoreactors: Strategies to encapsulate enzyme biocatalysts in virus-like particles. N Biotechnol 2018; 44:59-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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49
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Maassen SJ, van der Schoot P, Cornelissen JJLM. Experimental and Theoretical Determination of the pH inside the Confinement of a Virus-Like Particle. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2018; 14:e1802081. [PMID: 30102454 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201802081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In biology, a variety of highly ordered nanometer-size protein cages is found. Such structures find increasing application in, for example, vaccination, drug delivery, and catalysis. Understanding the physiochemical properties, particularly inside the confinement of a protein cage, helps to predict the behavior and properties of new materials based on such particles. Here, the relation between the bulk solution pH and the local pH inside a model protein cage, based on virus-like particles (VLPs) built from the coat proteins of the cowpea chlorotic mottle virus, is investigated. The pH is a crucial parameter in a variety of processes and is potentially significantly influenced by the high concentration of charges residing on the interior of the VLPs. The data show a systematic more acidic pH of 0.5 unit inside the VLP compared to that of the bulk solution for pH values above pH 6, which is explained using a theoretical model based on a Donnan equilibrium. The model agrees with the experimental data over almost two orders of magnitude, while below pH 6 the experimental data point to a buffering capacity of the VLP. These results are a first step in a better understanding of the physiochemical conditions inside a protein cage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stan J Maassen
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500, AE, The Netherlands
| | - Paul van der Schoot
- Group Theory of Polymers and Soft Matter, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600, MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584, CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J L M Cornelissen
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Nanotechnology, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500, AE, The Netherlands
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50
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Nonequilibrium self-assembly dynamics of icosahedral viral capsids packaging genome or polyelectrolyte. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3071. [PMID: 30082710 PMCID: PMC6078970 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05426-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of viruses partly relies on their ability to self-assemble inside host cells. Although coarse-grained simulations have identified different pathways leading to assembled virions from their components, experimental evidence is severely lacking. Here, we use time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering to uncover the nonequilibrium self-assembly dynamics of icosahedral viral capsids packaging their full RNA genome. We reveal the formation of amorphous complexes via an en masse pathway and their relaxation into virions via a synchronous pathway. The binding energy of capsid subunits on the genome is moderate (~7kBT0, with kB the Boltzmann constant and T0 = 298 K, the room temperature), while the energy barrier separating the complexes and the virions is high (~ 20kBT0). A synthetic polyelectrolyte can lower this barrier so that filled capsids are formed in conditions where virions cannot build up. We propose a representation of the dynamics on a free energy landscape. The mechanism by which virus capsules assemble around RNA to package their genetic material is not clear. Here, the authors observed the assembly of the cowpea chlorotic mottle virus capsid around viral RNA or poly(styrene sulfonic acid) using time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering measurements.
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