Binding of pRNA to the N-terminal 14 amino acids of connector protein of bacteriophage phi29.

ABSTRACT: During assembly, bacterial virus phi29 utilizes a motor to insert genomic DNA into a preformed protein shell called the procapsid. The motor contains one twelve-subunit connector with a 3.6 nm central channel for DNA transportation, six viral-encoded RNA (packaging RNA or pRNA) and a protein, gp16, with unknown stoichiometry. Recent DNA-packaging models proposed that the 5-fold procapsid vertexes and 12-fold connector (or the hexameric pRNA ring) represented a symmetry mismatch enabling production of a force to drive a rotation motor to translocate and compress DNA. There was a discrepancy regarding the location of the foothold for the pRNA. One model [C. Chen and P. Guo (1997) J. Virol., 71, 3864-3871] suggested that the foothold for pRNA was the connector and that the pRNA-connector comp

SUBMITTER: Xiao F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1092275 | biostudies-literature | 2005

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature