The capsid of the small RNA phage PRR1 is stabilized by metal ions

J Mol Biol. 2008 Nov 21;383(4):914-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.08.060. Epub 2008 Aug 29.

Abstract

Many nonenveloped virus particles are stabilized by calcium ions bound in the interfaces between the protein subunits. These ions may have a role in the disassembly process. The small RNA phages of the Leviviridae family have T=3 quasi-symmetry and are unique among simple viruses in that they have a coat protein with a translational repressor activity and a fold that has not been observed in other viruses. The crystal structure of phage PRR1 has been determined to 3.5 A resolution. The structure shows a tentative binding site for a calcium ion close to the quasi-3-fold axis. The RNA-binding surface used for repressor activity is mostly conserved. The structure does not show any significant differences between quasi-equivalent subunits, which suggests that the assembly is not controlled by conformational switches as in many other simple viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Capsid / chemistry
  • Capsid / ultrastructure*
  • Capsid Proteins / chemistry*
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Capsid Proteins / metabolism
  • Dimerization
  • Ions / chemistry*
  • Metals / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary*
  • RNA / metabolism
  • RNA Phages / chemistry
  • RNA Phages / ultrastructure*
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / ultrastructure
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • Ions
  • Metals
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • RNA

Associated data

  • PDB/2VF9