Work

Electrostatic origin of the genome packing in viruses

Year: 2006

Type: article

Abstract: Many ssRNA/ssDNA viruses bind their genome by highly basic semiflexible peptide arms of capsid proteins. Here, we show that nonspecific electrostatic interactions control both the length of the genome and genome conformations. Analysis of available experimental data shows that the genome length is linear in the net charge on the capsid peptide arms, irrespective of the actual amino acid sequence, with a proportionality coefficient of 1.61 +/- 0.03. This ratio is conserved across all ssRNA/ssDNA viruses with highly basic peptide arms, and is different from the one-to-one charge balance expected of specific binding. Genomic nucleotides are predicted to occupy a radially symmetric spherical shell detached from the viral capsid, in agreement with experimental data.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0608311103

Authors: Vladimir A. Belyi, M. Muthukumar

Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Language: English

Topic: Electrostatics and Colloid Interactions

Subfield: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Division of Materials Research

Awards: Phase Separation Kinetics of Polyelectrolyte Solutions, Computational Design Engine for Accurate and Efficient Sequencing of DNA and RNA