Structural and Proteomic Characterization of the Initiation of Giant Virus Infection.

ABSTRACT: Since their discovery, giant viruses have expanded our understanding of the principles of virology. Due to their gargantuan size and complexity, little is known about the life cycles of these viruses. To answer outstanding questions regarding giant virus infection mechanisms, we set out to determine biomolecular conditions that promote giant virus genome release. We generated four infection intermediates in Samba virus (Mimivirus genus, lineage A) as visualized by cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), cryoelectron tomography (cryo-ET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Each of these four intermediates reflects similar morphology to a stage that occurs in vivo. We show that these genome release stages are conserved in other mimiviruses. Finally, we identified proteins that are released f

SUBMITTER: Schrad JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8054779 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature