5EQW

Structure of the major structural protein D135 of Acidianus tailed spindle virus (ATSV)

Summary for 5EQW

• Entry DOI: 10.2210/pdb5eqw/pdb
• Descriptor: Putative major coat protein, NITRATE ION (3 entities in total)
• Functional Keywords: archaeal virus, structural protein, four helix bundle, large tailed spindle virus
• Biological source: Acidianus tailed spindle virus
• Total number of polymer chains: 5
• Total formula weight: 81685.66

Authors

Hochstein, R.A.,Lintner, N.G.,Young, M.J.,Lawrence, C.M. (deposition date: 2015-11-13, release date: 2016-11-16, Last modification date: 2024-11-06)

Primary citation

Hochstein, R.,Bollschweiler, D.,Dharmavaram, S.,Lintner, N.G.,Plitzko, J.M.,Bruinsma, R.,Engelhardt, H.,Young, M.J.,Klug, W.S.,Lawrence, C.M.
Structural studies ofAcidianustailed spindle virus reveal a structural paradigm used in the assembly of spindle-shaped viruses.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 115:2120-2125, 2018

PubMed Abstract: The spindle-shaped virion morphology is common among archaeal viruses, where it is a defining characteristic of many viral families. However, structural heterogeneity intrinsic to spindle-shaped viruses has seriously hindered efforts to elucidate the molecular architecture of these lemon-shaped capsids. We have utilized a combination of cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography to study tailed spindle virus (ATSV). These studies reveal the architectural principles that underlie assembly of a spindle-shaped virus. Cryo-electron tomography shows a smooth transition from the spindle-shaped capsid into the tubular-shaped tail and allows low-resolution structural modeling of individual virions. Remarkably, higher-dose 2D micrographs reveal a helical surface lattice in the spindle-shaped capsid. Consistent with this, crystallographic studies of the major capsid protein reveal a decorated four-helix bundle that packs within the crystal to form a four-start helical assembly with structural similarity to the tube-shaped tail structure of ATSV and other tailed, spindle-shaped viruses. Combined, this suggests that the spindle-shaped morphology of the ATSV capsid is formed by a multistart helical assembly with a smoothly varying radius and allows construction of a pseudoatomic model for the lemon-shaped capsid that extends into a tubular tail. The potential advantages that this novel architecture conveys to the life cycle of spindle-shaped viruses, including a role in DNA ejection, are discussed.

PubMed: 29440399
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1719180115

Experimental method

X-RAY DIFFRACTION (1.679 Å)