SNAP annotations: PDB entry 4bkk

PDB-id

4bkk; DSSR-derived features in text and JSON formats; DNAproDB

Class

viral protein-RNA

Method

cryo-EM

Summary

The respiratory syncytial virus nucleoprotein-RNA complex forms a left-handed helical nucleocapsid.

Reference

Bakker SE, Duquerroy S, Galloux M, Loney C, Conner E, Eleouet JF, Rey FA, Bhella D (2013): "The Respiratory Syncytial Virus Nucleoprotein-RNA Complex Forms a Left-Handed Helical Nucleocapsid." J.Gen.Virol., 94, 1734. doi: 10.1099/VIR.0.053025-0.

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important human pathogen. Its nucleocapsid (NC), which comprises the negative sense RNA viral genome coated by the viral nucleoprotein N, is a critical assembly that serves as template for both mRNA synthesis and genome replication. We have previously described the X-ray structure of an NC-like structure: a decameric ring formed of N-RNA that mimics one turn of the helical NC. In the absence of experimental data we had hypothesized that the NC helix would be right-handed, as the N-N contacts in the ring appeared to more easily adapt to that conformation. We now unambiguously show that the RSV NC is a left-handed helix. We further show that the contacts in the ring can be distorted to maintain key N-N-protein interactions in a left-handed helix, and discuss the implications of the resulting atomic model of the helical NC for viral replication and transcription.