Cryo-EM model of the bullet-shaped vesicular stomatitis virus.
Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a bullet-shaped rhabdovirus and a model system of negative-strand RNA viruses. Through direct visualization by means of cryo-electron microscopy, we show that each virion contains two nested, left-handed helices: an outer helix of matrix protein M and an inner helix of nucleoprotein N and RNA. M has a hub domain with four contact sites that link to neighboring M and N subunits, providing rigidity by clamping adjacent turns of the nucleocapsid. Side-by-side interactions between neighboring N subunits are critical for the nucleocapsid to form a bullet shape, and structure-based mutagenesis results support this description. Together, our data suggest a mechanism of VSV assembly in which the nucleocapsid spirals from the tip to become the helical trunk, both subsequently framed and rigidified by the M layer.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095-7364, USA.
Peng
P
Ge
Jun
J
Tsao
Stan
S
Schein
Todd J
TJ
Green
Ming
M
Luo
Z Hong
ZH
Zhou
D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008958:Models, Molecular; D016296:Mutagenesis; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018116:Vesiculovirus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014771:Virion / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019065:Virus Assembly
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; C094460:M protein, Vesicular stomatitis virus; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins