Structural insights into the rhabdovirus transcription/replication complex

• Published in: Virus research Vol. 162; no. 1; pp. 126 - 137
• Main Authors: Ivanov, Ivan, Yabukarski, Filip, Ruigrok, Rob W.H., Jamin, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Binding Sites; Genes, Viral; genome; Humans; Models, Molecular; Mononegavirales; nucleoproteins; Nucleoproteins - chemistry; Nucleoproteins - genetics; Nucleoproteins - metabolism; phosphoproteins; Plants; polymerization; Protein Binding; Protein Subunits - chemistry; Protein Subunits - genetics; Protein Subunits - metabolism; Rabies virus; Replication; Rhabdoviridae; Rhabdoviridae - chemistry; Rhabdoviridae - genetics; Rhabdoviridae - metabolism; Rhabdoviridae Infections - virology; Rhabdovirus; RNA; RNA Replicase - chemistry; RNA Replicase - genetics; RNA Replicase - metabolism; RNA, Viral - genetics; RNA, Viral - metabolism; RNA-directed RNA polymerase; Transcription; Transcription, Genetic; Vesicular stomatitis virus; viral proteins; Viral Proteins - chemistry; Viral Proteins - genetics; Viral Proteins - metabolism; Virus Replication - genetics; viruses; Vesicular stomatitis virus; Replication; Mononegavirales; Transcription; Rhabdoviridae; Rabies virus
• ISSN: 0168-1702; 1872-7492
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2011.09.025

The rhabdoviruses have a non-segmented single stranded negative-sense RNA genome. Their multiplication in a host cell requires three viral proteins in addition to the viral RNA genome. The nucleoprotein (N) tightly encapsidates the viral RNA, and the N–RNA complex serves as the template for both transcription and replication. The viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is a two subunit complex that consists of a large subunit, L, and a non-catalytic cofactor, the phosphoprotein, P. P also acts as a chaperone of nascent RNA-free N by forming a N 0–P complex that prevents N from binding to cellular RNAs and from polymerizing in the absence of RNA. Here, we discuss the recent molecular and structural studies of individual components and multi-molecular complexes that are involved in the transcription/replication complex of these viruses with regard to their implication in viral transcription and replication.