title: The Astrovirus Capsid: A Review.
abstract: Astroviruses are enterically transmitted viruses that cause infections in mammalian and avian species. Astroviruses are nonenveloped, icosahedral viruses comprised of a capsid protein shell and a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome. The capsid protein undergoes dramatic proteolytic processing both inside and outside of the host cell, resulting in a coordinated maturation process that affects cellular localization, virus structure, and infectivity. After maturation, the capsid protein controls the initial phases of virus infection, including virus attachment, endocytosis, and genome release into the host cell. The astrovirus capsid is the target of host antibodies including virus-neutralizing antibodies. The capsid protein also mediates the binding of host complement proteins and inhibits complement activation. Here, we will review our knowledge on the astrovirus capsid protein (CP), with particular attention to the recent structural, biochemical, and virological studies that have advanced our understanding of the astrovirus life cycle.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico. arias@ibt.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Carlos F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA. rmdubois@ucsc.edu.
authors.forename: Rebecca M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: DuBois
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019350:Astroviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D002213:Capsid / Q000378:metabolism; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D001257:Mamastrovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins
keywords: antigen; astrovirus; capsid; structure; virus entry; virus exit