Low-Temperature Adaptation Targets Genome Packing Reactions in an Icosahedral Single-Stranded DNA Virus.

ABSTRACT: øX174, G4, and α3 represent the three sister genera of a Microviridae subfamily. α3-like genomes are considerably larger than their sister genera genomes, yet they are packaged into capsids of similar internal volumes. They also contain multiple A* genes, which are nested within the larger A gene reading frame. Although unessential under most conditions, A* proteins mediate the fidelity of packaging reactions. Larger genomes and multiple A* genes may indicate that genome packaging is more problematic for α3-like viruses, especially at lower temperatures, where DNA persistence lengths would be longer. Unlike members of the other genera, which reliably form plaques at 20°C, α3-like phages are naturally cold sensitive below 28°C. To determine whether there was a connection between the

SUBMITTER: Ogunbunmi ET 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9006916 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature