HBV RNA pre-genome encodes specific motifs that mediate interactions with the viral core protein that promote nucleocapsid assembly.

ABSTRACT: Formation of the hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid is an essential step in the viral lifecycle, but its assembly is not fully understood. We report the discovery of sequence-specific interactions between the viral pre-genome and the hepatitis B core protein that play roles in defining the nucleocapsid assembly pathway. Using RNA SELEX and bioinformatics, we identified multiple regions in the pre-genomic RNA with high affinity for core protein dimers. These RNAs form stem-loops with a conserved loop motif that trigger sequence-specific assembly of virus-like particles (VLPs) at much higher fidelity and yield than in the absence of RNA. The RNA oligos do not interact with preformed RNA-free VLPs, so their effects must occur during particle assembly. Asymmetric cryo-electron microscopy reconstru

SUBMITTER: Patel N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5495169 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature