title: Implication of the prohead RNA in phage phi29 DNA packaging.
abstract: RNA is an important component of many biological processes, including DNA encapsidation of bacteriophage phi29 of Bacillus subtilis. Interestingly, the prohead RNA is involved in this encapsidation, and was found in monomer, dimer, pentamer and hexamer conformations. This article presents and debates current knowledge about the prohead RNA structures, mechanisms, and roles in DNA encapsidation. A new dimer structure is presented, and its specific role in DNA encapsidation is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Département de biochimie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bourassa
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Major
mesh_terms: D017103:Bacillus Phages / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral