title: Asymmetric cryo-EM reconstruction of phage MS2 reveals genome structure in situ.
abstract: In single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses, virus capsid assembly and genome packaging are intertwined processes. Using cryo-electron microscopy and single particle analysis we determined the asymmetric virion structure of bacteriophage MS2, which includes 178 copies of the coat protein, a single copy of the A-protein and the RNA genome. This reveals that in situ, the viral RNA genome can adopt a defined conformation. The RNA forms a branched network of stem-loops that almost all allocate near the capsid inner surface, while predominantly binding to coat protein dimers that are located in one-half of the capsid. This suggests that genomic RNA is highly involved in genome packaging and virion assembly.
authors: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.|Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Roman I
authors: 0000-0001-6736-7147
authors: RI
authors: Koning
authors: Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain.
authors: Josue
authors: J
authors: Gomez-Blanco
authors: Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Ratsupites 1, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia.
authors: Inara
authors: I
authors: Akopjana
authors: Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Vargas
authors: Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Ratsupites 1, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia.
authors: Andris
authors: A
authors: Kazaks
authors: Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Ratsupites 1, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia.
authors: Kaspars
authors: K
authors: Tars
authors: Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain.
authors: José María
authors: JM
authors: Carazo
authors: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.|Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Abraham J
authors: 0000-0003-1717-2549
authors: AJ
authors: Koster
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D017909:Levivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000235:genetics; D059370:RNA Folding / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral