Self-assembly Of Capsid Protein Research Articles

Self-Assembly of Viral Capsid Proteins Driven by Compressible Nanobubbles.

Colloidal nanobubbles occur in gas-saturated aqueous solutions following high power water electrolysis. Here the influence of nanobubble solutions on the self-assembly properties of viral capsid proteins (CP) was investigated. Interestingly, we found that gas solutions were able to trigger the self-assembly of CP of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) in the absence of the viral genome, most likely by acting as a negatively charged template. The process was demonstrated by three distinct techniques, namely, dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, nanobubble-induced self-assembly of viral CP was found to depend on protein concentration. Low CP concentrations led to assembly of 18 nm virus-like particles (VLPs), comparable to T = 1 (Casper and Klug triangulation number) virus capsids, whereas high CP concentrations led to 28 nm VLPs (similar to T = 3 capsids). This paves a new route for self-assembly of VLPs.

Display of whole proteins on inner and outer surfaces of grapevine fanleaf virus-like particles.

SummaryVirus‐like particles (VLPs) derived from nonenveloped viruses result from the self‐assembly of capsid proteins (CPs). They generally show similar structural features to viral particles but are noninfectious and their inner cavity and outer surface can potentially be adapted to serve as nanocarriers of great biotechnological interest. While a VLP outer surface is generally amenable to chemical or genetic modifications, encaging a cargo within particles can be more complex and is often limited to small molecules or peptides. Examples where both inner cavity and outer surface have been used to simultaneously encapsulate and expose entire proteins remain scarce. Here, we describe the production of spherical VLPs exposing fluorescent proteins at either their outer surface or inner cavity as a result of the self‐assembly of a single genetically modified viral structural protein, the CP of grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV). We found that the N‐ and C‐terminal ends of the GFLV CP allow the genetic fusion of proteins as large as 27 kDa and the plant‐based production of nucleic acid‐free VLPs. Remarkably, expression of N‐ or C‐terminal CP fusions resulted in the production of VLPs with recombinant proteins exposed to either the inner cavity or the outer surface, respectively, while coexpression of both fusion proteins led to the formation hybrid VLP, although rather inefficiently. Such properties are rather unique for a single viral structural protein and open new potential avenues for the design of safe and versatile nanocarriers, particularly for the targeted delivery of bioactive molecules.

A molecular thermodynamic model for the stability of hepatitis B capsids.

Self-assembly of capsid proteins and genome encapsidation are two critical steps in the life cycle of most plant and animal viruses. A theoretical description of such processes from a physiochemical perspective may help better understand viral replication and morphogenesis thus provide fresh insights into the experimental studies of antiviral strategies. In this work, we propose a molecular thermodynamic model for predicting the stability of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsids either with or without loading nucleic materials. With the key components represented by coarse-grained thermodynamic models, the theoretical predictions are in excellent agreement with experimental data for the formation free energies of empty T4 capsids over a broad range of temperature and ion concentrations. The theoretical model predicts T3/T4 dimorphism also in good agreement with the capsid formation at in vivo and in vitro conditions. In addition, we have studied the stability of the viral particles in response to physiological cellular conditions with the explicit consideration of the hydrophobic association of capsid subunits, electrostatic interactions, molecular excluded volume effects, entropy of mixing, and conformational changes of the biomolecular species. The course-grained model captures the essential features of the HBV nucleocapsid stability revealed by recent experiments.

Self-Assembly of Viral Capsid Protein and RNA Molecules of Different Sizes: Requirement for a Specific High Protein/RNA Mass Ratio

Virus-like particles can be formed by self-assembly of capsid protein (CP) with RNA molecules of increasing length. If the protein "insisted" on a single radius of curvature, the capsids would be identical in size, independent of RNA length. However, there would be a limit to length of the RNA, and one would not expect RNA much shorter than native viral RNA to be packaged unless multiple copies were packaged. On the other hand, if the protein did not favor predetermined capsid size, one would expect the capsid diameter to increase with increase in RNA length. Here we examine the self-assembly of CP from cowpea chlorotic mottle virus with RNA molecules ranging in length from 140 to 12,000 nucleotides (nt). Each of these RNAs is completely packaged if and only if the protein/RNA mass ratio is sufficiently high; this critical value is the same for all of the RNAs and corresponds to equal RNA and N-terminal-protein charges in the assembly mix. For RNAs much shorter in length than the 3,000 nt of the viral RNA, two or more molecules are assembled into 24- and 26-nm-diameter capsids, whereas for much longer RNAs (>4,500 nt), a single RNA molecule is shared/packaged by two or more capsids with diameters as large as 30 nm. For intermediate lengths, a single RNA is assembled into 26-nm-diameter capsids, the size associated with T=3 wild-type virus. The significance of these assembly results is discussed in relation to likely factors that maintain T=3 symmetry in vivo.

Exploiting Fluorescent Polymers To Probe the Self-Assembly of Virus-like Particles

The inside surfaces of the protein shells of many viruses are positively charged, thereby enhancing the self-assembly of capsid proteins around their (oppositely charged) RNA genome. These proteins have been shown to organize similarly around a variety of nonbiological, negatively charged, polymers, for example, poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), forming virus-like particles (VLPs). We have demonstrated recently that the VLPs formed from cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) capsid protein increase in size (from T=2 to T=3 structures) upon increase in PSS molecular weight (from 400 kDa to 3.4 MDa), and that the total charge on the PSS exceeds that of the capsid protein by as much as a factor of 9. Here, we extend studies of this kind to PSS molecules that are sufficiently small that two or more can be packaged into VLPs. The use of 38 kDa PSS polymers that have been fluorescently labeled with Rhodamine B allows us to determine the number of PSS molecules per capsid. Electron micrographs of the VLPs show a bimodal distribution of particle diameters, with one peak centered around 19 nm, typical of a T=1 triangulation number, and the other around 21 nm, consistent with a pseudo T=2 structure; increasing the molar ratio of protein to PSS in the reaction mix shifts the VLP distribution from T=1 to T=2 structures. By combining fluorescence and gel electrophoresis measurements, it is determined that, on average, there are two polymers in each T=1 capsid and three in each T=2, with the PSS charge less than that of the capsid protein by as much as a factor of 2. VLPs of this kind provide a versatile model system for determining the principles underlying self-assembly of controlled numbers of cargo molecules in nanocontainers of increasing size.

Phase Diagram of Self-assembled Viral Capsid Protein Polymorphs

We present an experimental study of the self-assembly of capsid proteins of the cowpea chlorotic mosaic virus (CCMV), in the absence of the viral genome, as a function of pH and ionic strength. In accord with previous measurements, a wide range of polymorphs can be identified by electron microscopy, among them single and multiwalled shells and tubes. The images are analyzed with respect to size and shape of aggregates, and evidence is given that equilibrium has been achieved, allowing a phase diagram to be constructed. Some previously unreported structures are also described. The range and stability of the polymorphs can be understood in terms of electrostatic interactions and the way they affect the spontaneous curvature of protein networks and the relative stabilities of pentamers and hexamers.

Expression of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus capsid proteins by a recombinant vaccinia virus: self-assembly of capsid proteins into particles.

A portion of a cDNA clone containing coding sequences for both structural proteins (VP1 and VP2) of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV) was inserted into recombinant vaccinia viruses, VV:ADSP. Immunohistochemical staining of VV:ADSP-infected cells revealed that the ADV antigen was readily detected and localized in the nuclei of infected cells. Analysis of VV:ADSP-infected cell lystates indicated that both VP1 and VP2 were produced and comigrated with authentic VP1 and VP2 from ADV-infected Crandell feline kidney cells. These results suggested, therefore, that both VP1 and VP2 were synthesized from a single cloned transcript. CsCl density gradient centrifugation of partially purified VV:ADSP-infected cell lysates indicated that the majority of the antigen was located in a fraction with a density near 1.33 g/ml, indicative of empty ADV particles. Subsequent electron microscopic examination revealed the presence of 27-nm icosahedral virion-like structures at the same density, suggesting that the proteins self-assembled into empty virions. Furthermore, sera from eight of eight mice inoculated with VV:ADSP contained ADV-specific antibodies and two of these eight serum samples had neutralizing activity, indicating that the particles produced in VV:ADSP-infected cells were immunogenic. Finally, when lysates from VV:ADSP-infected cells were compared with standard ADV antigens in counterimmunoelectrophoresis assays, a similar pattern of specific reactivity was observed for sera from normal and infected mink.

Surface structure of in vitro assembled bacteriophage lambda polyheads

Tubular aberrant phage λ capsoids (polyheads) can be obtained by self-assembly of capsid protein. Three types of polyheads can be distinguished which correspond in their surface structure to petit λ, enlarged petit λ ( D −-head) and phage head. The latter type of polyhead consists of two different proteins (p E and p D) arranged in a composite hexagonal lattice, the other two of one type of protein (p E) arranged in hexagonal lattices. Each type has its own lattice constant. Polyheads were observed both after negative staining and freeze drying-shadowing and data were exploited by optical filitration methods. Models are proposed to elucidate the surface fine structure of polyheads and their spherical analogues, and the conformational changes occurring during maturation of the phage λ head.

Inhibition of the Self-Assembly of Capsid Protein from f2 Phage by Urea

Abstract The self-assembly of coat protein of f2 bacteriophage is inhibited completely and reversibly by 0.3 m urea. Assembly is inhibited by several compounds containing the group N—CN. The effectiveness of such compounds in the inhibition of assembly is roughly parallel to their effectiveness as protein denaturants, but assembly is vastly more sensitive toward these compounds than is ordinary protein denaturation.