nucleocapsid protein Dotaz Zobrazit nápovědu
14-3-3 proteins are important dimeric scaffolds that regulate the function of hundreds of proteins in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein forms a complex with human 14-3-3 proteins upon phosphorylation, which has also been described for other coronaviruses. Here, we report a high-resolution crystal structure of 14-3-3 bound to an N phosphopeptide bearing the phosphoserine 197 in the middle. The structure revealed two copies of the N phosphopeptide bound, each in the central binding groove of each 14-3-3 monomer. A complex network of hydrogen bonds and water bridges between the peptide and 14-3-3 was observed explaining the high affinity of the N protein for 14-3-3 proteins.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 MeSH
- fosfopeptidy chemie MeSH
- fosfoproteiny chemie MeSH
- koronavirové nukleokapsidové proteiny * chemie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- proteiny 14-3-3 * chemie MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 * MeSH
- vazba proteinů MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The nucleocapsid protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus comprises two RNA-binding domains and three regions that are intrinsically disordered. While the structures of the RNA-binding domains have been solved using protein crystallography and NMR, current knowledge of the conformations of the full-length nucleocapsid protein is rather limited. To fill in this knowledge gap, we combined coarse-grained molecular simulations with data from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments using the ensemble refinement of SAXS (EROS) method. Our results show that the dimer of the full-length nucleocapsid protein exhibits large conformational fluctuations with its radius of gyration ranging from about 4 to 8 nm. The RNA-binding domains do not make direct contacts. The disordered region that links these two domains comprises a hydrophobic α-helix which makes frequent and nonspecific contacts with the RNA-binding domains. Each of the intrinsically disordered regions adopts conformations that are locally compact, yet on average, much more extended than Gaussian chains of equivalent lengths. We offer a detailed picture of the conformational ensemble of the nucleocapsid protein dimer under near-physiological conditions, which will be important for understanding the nucleocapsid assembly process.
All twenty-nine PRRSV ORF7 nucleotide sequences obtained from clinical samples originating from the three Central European countries Austria (n = 7), Czech Republic (n = 12), and Slovakia (n = 10) belonged to type 1, subtype I (EU-1). Twenty-seven sequences encoded the typical length of the nucleocapsid protein composed of 128 amino acids. Two genetically identical ORF7s of PRRSV originating from a single farm in Slovakia showed a new length polymorphism of the nucleocapsid protein comprising 132 amino acids.
- MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- genotyp MeSH
- lymfatické uzliny virologie MeSH
- molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
- nukleokapsida - proteiny genetika MeSH
- otevřené čtecí rámce MeSH
- plíce virologie MeSH
- polymorfismus genetický * MeSH
- prasata virologie MeSH
- reprodukční a respirační syndrom prasat virologie MeSH
- RNA virová krev MeSH
- sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
- sekvence nukleotidů MeSH
- sekvenční seřazení MeSH
- virus reprodukčního a respiračního syndromu prasat klasifikace genetika patogenita MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Rakousko MeSH
- Slovenská republika MeSH
Fullerene derivatives with hydrophilic substituents have been shown to exhibit a range of biological activities, including antiviral ones. For a long time, the anti-HIV activity of fullerene derivatives was believed to be due to their binding into the hydrophobic pocket of HIV-1 protease, thereby blocking its activity. Recent work, however, brought new evidence of a novel, protease-independent mechanism of fullerene derivatives' action. We studied in more detail the mechanism of the anti-HIV-1 activity of N,N-dimethyl[70]fulleropyrrolidinium iodide fullerene derivatives. By using a combination of in vitro and cell-based approaches, we showed that these C70 derivatives inhibited neither HIV-1 protease nor HIV-1 maturation. Instead, our data indicate effects of fullerene C70 derivatives on viral genomic RNA packaging and HIV-1 cDNA synthesis during reverse transcription-without impairing reverse transcriptase activity though. Molecularly, this could be explained by a strong binding affinity of these fullerene derivatives to HIV-1 nucleocapsid domain, preventing its proper interaction with viral genomic RNA, thereby blocking reverse transcription and HIV-1 infectivity. Moreover, the fullerene derivatives' oxidative activity and fluorescence quenching, which could be one of the reasons for the inconsistency among reported anti-HIV-1 mechanisms, are discussed herein.
- MeSH
- fullereny metabolismus farmakologie MeSH
- genom virový účinky léků MeSH
- genové produkty gag - virus lidské imunodeficience metabolismus MeSH
- HEK293 buňky MeSH
- HIV-1 účinky léků genetika metabolismus fyziologie MeSH
- látky proti HIV metabolismus farmakologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nukleokapsida - proteiny metabolismus MeSH
- reverzní transkripce MeSH
- RNA virová metabolismus MeSH
- svlékání virového obalu účinky léků MeSH
- vazba proteinů MeSH
- virion metabolismus MeSH
- zabalení virového genomu účinky léků MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
In addition to specific RNA-binding zinc finger domains, the retroviral Gag polyprotein contains clusters of basic amino acid residues that are thought to support Gag-viral genomic RNA (gRNA) interactions. One of these clusters is the basic K16NK18EK20 region, located upstream of the first zinc finger of the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) nucleocapsid (NC) protein. To investigate the role of this basic region in the M-PMV life cycle, we used a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods to study a series of mutants in which the overall charge of this region was more positive (RNRER), more negative (AEAEA), or neutral (AAAAA). The mutations markedly affected gRNA incorporation and the onset of reverse transcription. The introduction of a more negative charge (AEAEA) significantly reduced the incorporation of M-PMV gRNA into nascent particles. Moreover, the assembly of immature particles of the AEAEA Gag mutant was relocated from the perinuclear region to the plasma membrane. In contrast, an enhancement of the basicity of this region of M-PMV NC (RNRER) caused a substantially more efficient incorporation of gRNA, subsequently resulting in an increase in M-PMV RNRER infectivity. Nevertheless, despite the larger amount of gRNA packaged by the RNRER mutant, the onset of reverse transcription was delayed in comparison to that of the wild type. Our data clearly show the requirement for certain positively charged amino acid residues upstream of the first zinc finger for proper gRNA incorporation, assembly of immature particles, and proceeding of reverse transcription.IMPORTANCE We identified a short sequence within the Gag polyprotein that, together with the zinc finger domains and the previously identified RKK motif, contributes to the packaging of genomic RNA (gRNA) of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV). Importantly, in addition to gRNA incorporation, this basic region (KNKEK) at the N terminus of the nucleocapsid protein is crucial for the onset of reverse transcription. Mutations that change the positive charge of the region to a negative one significantly reduced specific gRNA packaging. The assembly of immature particles of this mutant was reoriented from the perinuclear region to the plasma membrane. On the contrary, an enhancement of the basic character of this region increased both the efficiency of gRNA packaging and the infectivity of the virus. However, the onset of reverse transcription was delayed even in this mutant. In summary, the basic region in M-PMV Gag plays a key role in the packaging of genomic RNA and, consequently, in assembly and reverse transcription.
- MeSH
- buněčné linie MeSH
- genové produkty gag genetika MeSH
- HEK293 buňky MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Masonův-Pfizerův opičí virus genetika fyziologie MeSH
- mutace genetika MeSH
- nukleokapsida - proteiny genetika MeSH
- reverzní transkripce genetika MeSH
- RNA virová genetika MeSH
- sekvence aminokyselin genetika MeSH
- sestavení viru genetika MeSH
- zinkové prsty genetika MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 has an unusually large genome that encodes four structural proteins and sixteen nonstructural proteins. The structural nucleocapsid phosphoprotein N is essential for linking the viral genome to the viral membrane. Both N-terminal RNA binding (N-NTD) and C-terminal dimerization domains are involved in capturing the RNA genome and, the intrinsically disordered region between these domains anchors the ribonucleoprotein complex to the viral membrane. Here, we characterized the structure of the N-NTD and its interaction with RNA using NMR spectroscopy. We observed a positively charged canyon on the surface of the N-NTD that might serve as a putative RNA binding site similarly to other coronaviruses. The subsequent NMR titrations using single-stranded and double-stranded RNA revealed a much more extensive U-shaped RNA-binding cleft lined with regularly distributed arginines and lysines. The NMR data supported by mutational analysis allowed us to construct hybrid atomic models of the N-NTD/RNA complex that provided detailed insight into RNA recognition.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * MeSH
- fosfoproteiny chemie genetika MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- magnetická rezonanční spektroskopie MeSH
- nukleokapsida - proteiny chemie genetika MeSH
- RNA virová chemie genetika MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 chemie genetika MeSH
- simulace molekulového dockingu * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- MeSH
- financování organizované MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakty MeSH
The assembly of immature retroviral particles is initiated in the cytoplasm by the binding of the structural polyprotein precursor Gag with viral genomic RNA. The protein interactions necessary for assembly are mediated predominantly by the capsid (CA) and nucleocapsid (NC) domains, which have conserved structures. In contrast, the structural arrangement of the CA-NC connecting region differs between retroviral species. In HIV-1 and Rous sarcoma virus, this region forms a rod-like structure that separates the CA and NC domains, whereas in Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, this region is densely packed, thus holding the CA and NC domains in close proximity. Interestingly, the sequence connecting the CA and NC domains in gammaretroviruses, such as murine leukemia virus (MLV), is unique. The sequence is called a charged assembly helix (CAH) due to a high number of positively and negatively charged residues. Although both computational and deletion analyses suggested that the MLV CAH forms a helical conformation, no structural or biochemical data supporting this hypothesis have been published. Using an in vitro assembly assay, alanine scanning mutagenesis, and biophysical techniques (circular dichroism, NMR, microcalorimetry, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay), we have characterized the structure and function of the MLV CAH. We provide experimental evidence that the MLV CAH belongs to a group of charged, E(R/K)-rich, single α-helices. This is the first single α-helix motif identified in viral proteins.
- MeSH
- mutageneze MeSH
- myši MeSH
- proteinové domény MeSH
- sekundární struktura proteinů MeSH
- virové plášťové proteiny chemie genetika MeSH
- virus myší leukemie chemie genetika MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- myši MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH