title: Nuclear transport of baculovirus: revealing the nuclear pore complex passage.
abstract: Baculoviruses are one of the largest viruses that replicate in the nucleus of their host cells. During an infection the capsid, containing the DNA viral genome, is released into the cytoplasm and delivers the genome into the nucleus by a mechanism that is largely unknown. Here, we used capsids of the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus in combination with electron microscopy and discovered this capsid crosses the NPC and enters into the nucleus intact, where it releases its genome. To better illustrate the existence of this capsid through the NPC in its native conformation, we reconstructed the nuclear import event using electron tomography. In addition, using different experimental conditions, we were able to visualize the intact capsid interacting with NPC cytoplasmic filaments, as an initial docking site, and midway through the NPC. Our data suggests the NPC central channel undergoes large-scale rearrangements to allow translocation of the intact 250-nm long baculovirus capsid. We discuss our results in the light of the hypothetical models of NPC function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
authors.forename: Shelly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Panté
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055032:Electron Microscope Tomography; D022022:Nuclear Pore / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009865:Oocytes; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral