Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly
Understanding how virus capsids assemble around their nucleic acid (NA) genomes could promote efforts to block viral propagation or to reengineer capsids for gene therapy applications. We develop a coarse-grained model of capsid proteins and NAs with which we investigate assembly dynamics and thermo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2013-06-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/00632 |
| _version_ | 1811180631103635456 |
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| author | Jason D Perlmutter Cong Qiao Michael F Hagan |
| author_facet | Jason D Perlmutter Cong Qiao Michael F Hagan |
| author_sort | Jason D Perlmutter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding how virus capsids assemble around their nucleic acid (NA) genomes could promote efforts to block viral propagation or to reengineer capsids for gene therapy applications. We develop a coarse-grained model of capsid proteins and NAs with which we investigate assembly dynamics and thermodynamics. In contrast to recent theoretical models, we find that capsids spontaneously ‘overcharge’; that is, the negative charge of the NA exceeds the positive charge on capsid. When applied to specific viruses, the optimal NA lengths closely correspond to the natural genome lengths. Calculations based on linear polyelectrolytes rather than base-paired NAs underpredict the optimal length, demonstrating the importance of NA structure to capsid assembly. These results suggest that electrostatics, excluded volume, and NA tertiary structure are sufficient to predict assembly thermodynamics and that the ability of viruses to selectively encapsidate their genomic NAs can be explained, at least in part, on a thermodynamic basis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:06:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a41604a6b2ce41ecaddc73562fd89dc0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:06:24Z |
| publishDate | 2013-06-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-a41604a6b2ce41ecaddc73562fd89dc02022-12-22T04:32:37ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2013-06-01210.7554/eLife.00632Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assemblyJason D Perlmutter0Cong Qiao1Michael F Hagan2Martin A Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, United StatesMartin A Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, United StatesMartin A Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, United StatesUnderstanding how virus capsids assemble around their nucleic acid (NA) genomes could promote efforts to block viral propagation or to reengineer capsids for gene therapy applications. We develop a coarse-grained model of capsid proteins and NAs with which we investigate assembly dynamics and thermodynamics. In contrast to recent theoretical models, we find that capsids spontaneously ‘overcharge’; that is, the negative charge of the NA exceeds the positive charge on capsid. When applied to specific viruses, the optimal NA lengths closely correspond to the natural genome lengths. Calculations based on linear polyelectrolytes rather than base-paired NAs underpredict the optimal length, demonstrating the importance of NA structure to capsid assembly. These results suggest that electrostatics, excluded volume, and NA tertiary structure are sufficient to predict assembly thermodynamics and that the ability of viruses to selectively encapsidate their genomic NAs can be explained, at least in part, on a thermodynamic basis.https://elifesciences.org/articles/00632virus capsidself assemblyRNA Packaging |
| spellingShingle | Jason D Perlmutter Cong Qiao Michael F Hagan Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly eLife virus capsid self assembly RNA Packaging |
| title | Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly |
| title_full | Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly |
| title_fullStr | Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly |
| title_full_unstemmed | Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly |
| title_short | Viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly |
| title_sort | viral genome structures are optimal for capsid assembly |
| topic | virus capsid self assembly RNA Packaging |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/00632 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jasondperlmutter viralgenomestructuresareoptimalforcapsidassembly AT congqiao viralgenomestructuresareoptimalforcapsidassembly AT michaelfhagan viralgenomestructuresareoptimalforcapsidassembly |