Importance of hydrogen bond contacts between the N protein and RNA genome of vesicular stomatitis virus in encapsidation and RNA synthesis.

ABSTRACT: Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) genomic RNA encapsidated by the nucleocapsid (N) protein is the template for transcription and replication by the viral polymerase. We analyzed the 2.9-A structure of the VSV N protein bound to RNA (T. J. Green, X. Zhang, G. W. Wertz, and M. Luo, Science 313:357-360, 2006) and identified amino acid residues with the potential to interact with RNA via hydrogen bonds. The contributions of these interactions to N protein function were investigated by individually substituting the residues with alanine and assaying the effect of these mutations on N protein expression, on the ability of the N protein to interact with the phosphoprotein (P), and on its ability to encapsidate RNA and generate templates that can support transcription and RNA replication. These stu

SUBMITTER: Rainsford EW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2812390 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature