title: Magic-angle spinning NMR of intact bacteriophages: insights into the capsid, DNA and their interface.
abstract: Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. They are complex macromolecular assemblies, which are composed of multiple protein subunits that protect genomic material and deliver it to specific hosts. Various biophysical techniques have been used to characterize their structure in order to unravel phage morphogenesis. Yet, most bacteriophages are non-crystalline and have very high molecular weights, in the order of tens of MegaDaltons. Therefore, complete atomic-resolution characterization on such systems that encompass both capsid and DNA is scarce. In this perspective article we demonstrate how magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR has and is used to characterize in detail bacteriophage viruses, including filamentous and icosahedral phage. We discuss the process of sample preparation, spectral assignment of both capsid and DNA and the use of chemical shifts and dipolar couplings to probe the capsid-DNA interface, describe capsid structure and dynamics and extract structural differences between viruses.
authors: School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Gili
authors: G
authors: Abramov
authors: School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Omry
authors: O
authors: Morag
authors: School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: amirgo@post.tau.ac.il.
authors: Amir
authors: A
authors: Goldbourt
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001665:Binding Sites; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular / Q000379:methods*; D013113:Spin Labels
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D013113:Spin Labels
keywords: Bacteriophage viruses; Filamentous bacteriophage; Magic-angle spinning; Molecular assemblies; Phage; Protein–DNA interactions; Solid-state NMR