The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly
Within the family of <i>Retroviridae</i>, foamy viruses (FVs) are unique and unconventional with respect to many aspects in their molecular biology, including assembly and release of enveloped viral particles. Both components of the minimal assembly and release machinery, Gag and Env, di...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/1/105 |
| _version_ | 1797411898146160640 |
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| author | Dirk Lindemann Sylvia Hütter Guochao Wei Martin Löchelt |
| author_facet | Dirk Lindemann Sylvia Hütter Guochao Wei Martin Löchelt |
| author_sort | Dirk Lindemann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Within the family of <i>Retroviridae</i>, foamy viruses (FVs) are unique and unconventional with respect to many aspects in their molecular biology, including assembly and release of enveloped viral particles. Both components of the minimal assembly and release machinery, Gag and Env, display significant differences in their molecular structures and functions compared to the other retroviruses. This led to the placement of FVs into a separate subfamily, the <i>Spumaretrovirinae</i>. Here, we describe the molecular differences in FV Gag and Env, as well as Pol, which is translated as a separate protein and not in an orthoretroviral manner as a Gag-Pol fusion protein. This feature further complicates FV assembly since a specialized Pol encapsidation strategy via a tripartite Gag-genome–Pol complex is used. We try to relate the different features and specific interaction patterns of the FV Gag, Pol, and Env proteins in order to develop a comprehensive and dynamic picture of particle assembly and release, but also other features that are indirectly affected. Since FVs are at the root of the retrovirus tree, we aim at dissecting the unique/specialized features from those shared among the <i>Spuma-</i> and <i>Orthoretrovirinae.</i> Such analyses may shed light on the evolution and characteristics of virus envelopment since related viruses within the <i>Ortervirales</i>, for instance LTR retrotransposons, are characterized by different levels of envelopment, thus affecting the capacity for intercellular transmission. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:53:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f82a4fd6d90401680a3ee8003580a76 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:53:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f82a4fd6d90401680a3ee8003580a762023-12-03T13:08:23ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-01-0113110510.3390/v13010105The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus AssemblyDirk Lindemann0Sylvia Hütter1Guochao Wei2Martin Löchelt3Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty “Carl Gustav Carus”, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanyInstitute of Virology, Medical Faculty “Carl Gustav Carus”, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanyDivision Viral Transformation Mechanisms, Research Focus Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDivision Viral Transformation Mechanisms, Research Focus Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyWithin the family of <i>Retroviridae</i>, foamy viruses (FVs) are unique and unconventional with respect to many aspects in their molecular biology, including assembly and release of enveloped viral particles. Both components of the minimal assembly and release machinery, Gag and Env, display significant differences in their molecular structures and functions compared to the other retroviruses. This led to the placement of FVs into a separate subfamily, the <i>Spumaretrovirinae</i>. Here, we describe the molecular differences in FV Gag and Env, as well as Pol, which is translated as a separate protein and not in an orthoretroviral manner as a Gag-Pol fusion protein. This feature further complicates FV assembly since a specialized Pol encapsidation strategy via a tripartite Gag-genome–Pol complex is used. We try to relate the different features and specific interaction patterns of the FV Gag, Pol, and Env proteins in order to develop a comprehensive and dynamic picture of particle assembly and release, but also other features that are indirectly affected. Since FVs are at the root of the retrovirus tree, we aim at dissecting the unique/specialized features from those shared among the <i>Spuma-</i> and <i>Orthoretrovirinae.</i> Such analyses may shed light on the evolution and characteristics of virus envelopment since related viruses within the <i>Ortervirales</i>, for instance LTR retrotransposons, are characterized by different levels of envelopment, thus affecting the capacity for intercellular transmission.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/1/105foamy virusspumavirusassemblyEnv leader proteinparticle buddingPol protein packaging |
| spellingShingle | Dirk Lindemann Sylvia Hütter Guochao Wei Martin Löchelt The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly Viruses foamy virus spumavirus assembly Env leader protein particle budding Pol protein packaging |
| title | The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly |
| title_full | The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly |
| title_fullStr | The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly |
| title_short | The Unique, the Known, and the Unknown of Spumaretrovirus Assembly |
| title_sort | unique the known and the unknown of spumaretrovirus assembly |
| topic | foamy virus spumavirus assembly Env leader protein particle budding Pol protein packaging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/1/105 |
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