Cryo-EM reconstructions of BMV-derived virus-like particles reveal assembly defects in the icosahedral lattice structure

The increasing interest in virus-like particles (VLPs) has been reflected by the growing number of studies on their assembly and application. However, the formation of complete VLPs is a complex phenomenon, making it difficult to rationally design VLPs with desired features de novo . In this paper,...

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Published inNanoscale Vol. 14; no. 8; pp. 3224 - 3233
Main Authors Ruszkowski, Milosz, Strugala, Aleksander, Indyka, Paulina, Tresset, Guillaume, Figlerowicz, Marek, Urbanowicz, Anna
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Royal Society of Chemistry 24.02.2022
Subjects
Biological Physics
Bromovirus
Capsid - chemistry
Capsid Proteins - chemistry
Cryoelectron Microscopy
Physics
Proteins
Self-assembly
Strong interactions (field theory)
Virion - chemistry
Virus Assembly
Viruses
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Summary:The increasing interest in virus-like particles (VLPs) has been reflected by the growing number of studies on their assembly and application. However, the formation of complete VLPs is a complex phenomenon, making it difficult to rationally design VLPs with desired features de novo . In this paper, we describe VLPs assembled in vitro from the recombinant capsid protein of brome mosaic virus (BMV). The analysis of VLPs was performed by Cryo-EM reconstructions and allowed us to visualize a few classes of VLPs, giving insight into the VLP self-assembly process. Apart from the mature icosahedral VLP practically identical with native virions, we describe putative VLP intermediates displaying non-icosahedral arrangements of capsomers, proposed to occur before the final disorder-order transition stage of icosahedral VLP assembly. Some of the described VLP classes show a lack of protein shell continuity, possibly resulting from too strong interaction with the cargo (in this case tRNA) with the capsid protein. We believe that our results are a useful prerequisite for the rational design of VLPs in the future and lead the way to the effective production of modified VLPs. Cryo-EM reconstructions of VLPs assembled from recombinant capsid protein of brome mosaic virus reveal a few classes of VLP with either icosahedral or non-icosahedral arrangements of capsomers.
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ISSN:2040-3364
2040-3372
DOI:10.1039/d1nr05650f