title: Genome packaging in viruses.
abstract: Genome packaging is a fundamental process in a viral life cycle. Many viruses assemble preformed capsids into which the genomic material is subsequently packaged. These viruses use a packaging motor protein that is driven by the hydrolysis of ATP to condense the nucleic acids into a confined space. How these motor proteins package viral genomes had been poorly understood until recently, when a few X-ray crystal structures and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures became available. Here we discuss various aspects of genome packaging and compare the mechanisms proposed for packaging motors on the basis of structural information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA.
authors.forename: Siyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Venigalla B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rossmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042003:DNA Packaging; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012399:Rotation; D055672:Static Electricity; D019065:Virus Assembly; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral