8VWH

Structure of the baculovirus major nucleocapsid protein VP39 (localised reconstruction)

Summary for 8VWH

• Entry DOI: 10.2210/pdb8vwh/pdb
• Related: 8VWI 8VWJ
• EMDB information: 43586 43587 43588 43589 43590 43591
• Descriptor: Major capsid protein, ZINC ION (2 entities in total)
• Functional Keywords: capsid, helical assembly, viral protein
• Biological source: Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus
• Total number of polymer chains: 8
• Total formula weight: 312386.73

Authors

Johnstone, B.A.,Hardy, J.M.,Ha, J.H.,Venugopal, H.,Coulibaly, F. (deposition date: 2024-02-01, release date: 2024-11-06, Last modification date: 2025-05-21)

Primary citation

Johnstone, B.A.,Hardy, J.M.,Ha, J.,Butkovic, A.,Koszalka, P.,Accurso, C.,Venugopal, H.,de Marco, A.,Krupovic, M.,Coulibaly, F.
The nucleocapsid architecture and structural atlas of the prototype baculovirus define the hallmarks of a new viral realm.
Sci Adv, 10:eado2631-eado2631, 2024

PubMed Abstract: Baculovirus is the most studied insect virus owing to a broad ecological distribution and ease of engineering for biotechnological applications. However, its structure and evolutionary place in the virosphere remain enigmatic. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we show that the nucleocapsid forms a covalently cross-linked helical tube protecting a highly compacted 134-kilobase pair DNA genome. The ends of the tube are sealed by the base and cap substructures, which share a 126-subunit hub but differ in components that promote actin tail-mediated propulsion and nuclear entry of the nucleocapsid, respectively. Unexpectedly, sensitive searches for hidden evolutionary links show that the morphogenetic machinery and conserved oral infectivity factors originated within the lineage of baculo-like viruses (class ). The unique viral architecture and structural atlas of hallmark proteins firmly place these viruses into a separate new realm, the highest taxonomy rank, and provide a structural framework to expand their use as sustainable bioinsecticides and biomedical tools.

PubMed: 39693434
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado2631

Experimental method

ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (3.06 Å)