Dengue and Zika virus capsid proteins bind to membranes and self-assemble into liquid droplets with nucleic acids.

ABSTRACT: Dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) capsid proteins efficiently recruit and surround the viral RNA at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane to yield nascent viral particles. However, little is known either about the molecular mechanisms by which multiple copies of capsid proteins assemble into nucleocapsids (NCs) or how the NC is recruited and wrapped by the ER membrane during particle morphogenesis. Here, we measured relevant interactions concerning this viral process using purified DENV and ZIKV capsid proteins, membranes mimicking the ER lipid composition, and nucleic acids in in vitro conditions to understand the biophysical properties of the RNA genome encapsidation process. We found that both ZIKV and DENV capsid proteins bound to liposomes at liquid-disordered phase regions,

SUBMITTER: Ambroggio EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8397897 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature