Electrostatic origin of the genome packing in viruses
- 14 November 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Vol. 103 (46), 17174-17178
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0608311103
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.Keywords
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