Mutations in the C-terminal loop of the nucleocapsid protein affect vesicular stomatitis virus RNA replication and transcription differentially.

ABSTRACT: The 2.9-A structure of the vesicular stomatitis virus nucleocapsid (N) protein bound to RNA shows the RNA to be tightly sequestered between the two lobes of the N protein. Domain movement of the lobes of the N protein has been postulated to facilitate polymerase access to the RNA template. We investigated the roles of individual amino acid residues in the C-terminal loop, involved in long-range interactions between N protein monomers, in forming functional ribonucleoprotein (RNP) templates. The effects of specific N protein mutations on its expression, interaction with the phosphoprotein, and formation of RNP templates that supported viral RNA replication and transcription were examined. Mutations introduced into the C-terminal loop, predicted to break contact with other residues in the lo

SUBMITTER: Harouaka D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2772671 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature