EMD-23322

Single-particle
6.1 Å
EMD-23322 Deposition: 20/01/2021
Map released: 26/01/2022
Last modified: 09/10/2024
Overview 3D View Sample Experiment Validation Volume Browser Additional data Links
Overview 3D View Sample Experiment Validation Volume Browser Additional data Links

EMD-23322

Phage Qbeta prolate particle

EMD-23322

Single-particle
6.1 Å
EMD-23322 Deposition: 20/01/2021
Map released: 26/01/2022
Last modified: 09/10/2024
Overview 3D View Sample Experiment Validation Volume Browser Additional data Links
Sample Organism: Escherichia phage Qbeta
Sample: Escherichia virus Qbeta
Fitted models: 7lgf (Avg. Q-score: 0.168)

Deposition Authors: Chang JY, Zhang J
Structural Assembly of Q beta Virion and Its Diverse Forms of Virus-like Particles.
Chang JY, Gorzelnik KV , Thongchol J , Zhang J
(2022) Viruses , 14
PUBMED: 35215818
DOI: doi:10.3390/v14020225
ISSN: 1999-4915
Abstract:
The coat proteins (CPs) of single-stranded RNA bacteriophages (ssRNA phages) directly assemble around the genomic RNA (gRNA) to form a near-icosahedral capsid with a single maturation protein (Mat) that binds the gRNA and interacts with the retractile pilus during infection of the host. Understanding the assembly of ssRNA phages is essential for their use in biotechnology, such as RNA protection and delivery. Here, we present the complete gRNA model of the ssRNA phage Qβ, revealing that the 3' untranslated region binds to the Mat and the 4127 nucleotides fold domain-by-domain, and is connected through long-range RNA-RNA interactions, such as kissing loops. Thirty-three operator-like RNA stem-loops are located and primarily interact with the asymmetric A/B CP-dimers, suggesting a pathway for the assembly of the virions. Additionally, we have discovered various forms of the virus-like particles (VLPs), including the canonical T = 3 icosahedral, larger T = 4 icosahedral, prolate, oblate forms, and a small prolate form elongated along the 3-fold axis. These particles are all produced during a normal infection, as well as when overexpressing the CPs. When overexpressing the shorter RNA fragments encoding only the CPs, we observed an increased percentage of the smaller VLPs, which may be sufficient to encapsidate a shorter RNA.