Nucleocapsid protein-dependent assembly of the RNA packaging signal of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) consists of a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome and four structural proteins: the spike, envelope, membrane, and nucleocapsid protein. The assembly of the viral genome into virus particles involves viral structural proteins and is believed to be mediated through recognition of specific sequences and RNA structures of the viral genome.

Methods and results

A culture system for the production of MERS coronavirus-like particles (MERS VLPs) was determined and established by electron microscopy and the detection of coexpressed viral structural proteins. Using the VLP system, a 258-nucleotide RNA fragment, which spans nucleotides 19,712 to 19,969 of the MERS-CoV genome (designated PS258(19712-19969)_ME<

SUBMITTER: Hsin WC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5966903 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature