Near-atomic structure of a giant virus

Authors

Qianglin Fang, Purdue University
Dongjie Zhu, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Irina Agarkova, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Jagat Adhikari, Washington University
Thomas Klose, Purdue University
Yue Liu, Purdue University
Zhenguo Chen, Purdue University
Yingyuan Sun, Purdue University
Michael L. Gross, Washington University
James L. Van Etten, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Xinzheng Zhang, Chinese Academy of SciencesFollow
Michael G. Rossmann, Purdue UniversityFollow

ORCID IDs

0000-0002-5052-1782

0000-0002-2150-9792

0000-0002-8759-5478

0000-0003-1159-4636

0000-0002-0114-0270

Date of this Version

2019

Citation

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | (2019) 10:388

Comments

© The Author(s) 2019

Open access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08319-6

Abstract

Although the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) are one of the largest group of viruses that infect many eukaryotic hosts, the near-atomic resolution structures of these viruses have remained unknown. Here we describe a 3.5 Å resolution icosahedrally averaged capsid structure of Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1). This structure consists of 5040 copies of the major capsid protein, 60 copies of the penton protein and 1800 minor capsid proteins of which there are 13 different types. The minor capsid proteins form a hexagonal network below the outer capsid shell, stabilizing the capsid by binding neighboring capsomers together. The size of the viral capsid is determined by a tape-measure, minor capsid protein of which there are 60 copies in the virion. Homologs of the tape-measure protein and some of the other minor capsid proteins exist in other NCLDVs. Thus, a similar capsid assembly pathway might be used by other NCLDVs.