Viral genomes are packaged into "procapsids" by powerful molecular motors. We report the crystal structure of the DNA packaging motor protein, gene product 17 (gp17), in bacteriophage T4. The structure consists of an N-terminal ATPase domain, which provides energy for compacting DNA, and a C-terminal nuclease domain, which terminates packaging. We show that another function of the C-terminal domain is to translocate the genome into the procapsid. The two domains are in close contact in the crystal structure, representing a "tensed state." A cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the T4 procapsid complexed with gp17 shows that the packaging motor is a pentamer and that the domains within each monomer are spatially separated, representing a "relaxed state." These structures suggest a mechanism, supported by mutational and other data, in which electrostatic forces drive the DNA packaging by alternating between tensed and relaxed states. Similar mechanisms may occur in other molecular motors.

The head of bacteriophage T4 is a prolate icosahedron with one unique portal vertex to which the phage tail is attached. The three-dimensional structure of mature bacteriophage T4 head has been determined to 22-Å resolution by using cryo-electron microscopy. The T4 capsid has a hexagonal surface lattice characterized by the triangulation numbers Tend ‫؍‬ 13 laevo for the icosahedral caps and Tmid ‫؍‬ 20 for the midsection. Hexamers of the major capsid protein gene product (gp)23* and pentamers of the vertex protein gp24*, as well as the outer surface proteins highly antigenic outer capsid protein (hoc) and small outer capsid protein (soc), are clearly evident in the reconstruction. The size and shape of the gp23* hexamers are similar to the major capsid protein organization of bacteriophage HK97. The binding sites and shape of the hoc and soc proteins have been established by analysis of the soc ؊ and hoc ؊ soc ؊ T4 structures. Bacteriophage T4 is a large, tailed, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus (family Myoviridae) that uses Escherichia coli as a host. The mature T4 virion, which contains Ϸ50 different proteins, consists of a prolate capsid, 172-kbp genomic DNA, and a tail with a contractile sheath terminating in a base plate to which are attached six long tail fibers. The architecture and the molecular composition of the T4 head, tail, and fibers have been characterized extensively by using a variety of techniques (1-3) leading to a structural model (4). Recent studies of the T4 components by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and x-ray crystallography extended the structural knowledge to higher resolution (5).T4 has one of the most complex structures of any virus that has been studied. There are Ͼ2,000 protein molecules of at least five different gene products (gps) in the head alone. The molecular mass of the DNA-filled head is 194 MDa and of the capsid alone is 82 MDa (6). The T4 head assembly proceeds via a number of intermediate stages. First, a DNA-free precursor, or prohead, is assembled that is processed proteolytically. Next, the genomic DNA is packaged into the prohead in a process that requires ATP energy (1). The prohead assembly is initiated by the portal protein gp20. The prohead contains an internal core made up of the major core protein, gp22, the minor core proteins, gpalt, a serine-type protease, gp21, and other internal proteins (1). The major capsid protein, gp23, is assembled around the scaffolding core together with the minor capsid protein, gp24. After completion of prohead assembly, the inactive gp21 enzyme is converted to the active protease, which cleaves the scaffold proteins into small peptides. A 65-residue-long amino-terminal ''⌬-piece'' is also cleaved from the 56-kDa gp23 molecule, thus yielding 48.7-kDa gp23* (1) ʈ . In addition, a 2.2-kDa amino-terminal piece of the 48.4-kDa gp24 is cleaved, giving rise to gp24* during head maturation. Most of the small peptides produced by the gp21 protease are expelled from the prohead, thus providing space necessary to accommodate the geno...

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a member of Picornaviridae and is a causative agent of recent outbreaks in the USA of respiratory illness in children. We report here the crystal structures of EV-D68 and its complex with pleconaril, a capsid binding compound that had been developed as an anti-rhinovirus drug. The hydrophobic drug binding pocket in viral protein 1 contained density that is consistent with a fatty acid of about 10 carbon atoms. This density could be displaced by pleconaril. We also showed that pleconaril inhibits EV-D68 at a half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 430 nM and might, therefore, be a possible drug candidate to alleviate EV-D68 outbreaks.

Gene product (gp) 24 of bacteriophage T4 forms the pentameric vertices of the capsid. Using x-ray crystallography, we found the principal domain of gp24 to have a polypeptide fold similar to that of the HK97 phage capsid protein plus an additional insertion domain. Fitting gp24 monomers into a cryo-EM density map of the mature T4 capsid suggests that the insertion domain interacts with a neighboring subunit, effecting a stabilization analogous to the covalent crosslinking in the HK97 capsid. Sequence alignment and genetic data show that the folds of gp24 and the hexamer-forming capsid protein, gp23*, are similar. Accordingly, models of gp24* pentamers, gp23* hexamers, and the whole capsid were built, based on a cryo-EM image reconstruction of the capsid. Mutations in gene 23 that affect capsid shape map to the capsomer's periphery, whereas mutations that allow gp23 to substitute for gp24 at the vertices modify the interactions between monomers within capsomers. Structural data show that capsid proteins of most tailed phages, and some eukaryotic viruses, may have evolved from a common ancestor.evolution ͉ gene product 24 ͉ major capsid protein T he protein shells of viral capsids are remarkably stable, yet dynamic structures. They have to protect the genome during its transfer between hosts, withstand the high pressure of the condensed nucleic acid, and be able to release the genome once a susceptible host has been recognized. To reconcile both stability and dynamic requirements, assembled procapsids of many viruses undergo large conformational changes during genome packaging and maturation (1).The capsid of the dsDNA tailed bacteriophage T4 is a prolate icosahedron ( Fig. 1) whose capsomers form a T end ϭ 13 laevo hexagonal lattice in the end caps and a T mid ϭ 20 lattice in the cylindrical midsection (2). The protein shell consists of the major capsid protein gene product (gp) 23*, the pentameric vertex protein gp24*, the portal protein or ''connector'' gp20, and the two accessory proteins, gp hoc (highly antigenic outer capsid protein) and gp soc (small outer capsid protein) (3), that decorate the outside of the shell. The dodecameric connector replaces a pentamer of gp24* at one of the 12 vertices and serves as a special portal for DNA packaging, tail attachment, and DNA exit (4, 5).During procapsid assembly, gp23, gp24, and gp20 form a shell around the core structure composed primarily of the scaffolding protein gp22 and assembly protease gp21 (3). The protease activates once procapsid assembly has been completed and cleaves the proteins of the core into small peptides, most of which leave the maturing procapsid, freeing space for the genome. The gp21 protease also cleaves a 65-residue-long, amino-terminal fragment from the 56-kDa gp23, generating the 48.7-kDa gp23* (3). In addition, the 10-residue, amino-terminal region of the 48.7-kDa gp24 is cleaved, giving rise to the 47.6-kDa gp24* (3). These cleavages trigger a large conformational rearrangement in the procapsid, resulting in expansion and causing the ...

No abstract

Many viruses need to stabilize their capsid structure against DNA pressure and for survival in hostile environments. The 9 kDa outer capsid protein (Soc) of bacteriophage T4, which stabilizes the virus, attaches to the capsid during the final stage of maturation. There are 870 Soc molecules that act as “glue” between neighboring hexameric capsomers, forming a “cage” that stabilizes the T4 capsid against extremes of pH and temperature. Here we report a 1.9 Å resolution crystal structure of Soc from the bacteriophage RB69, a close relative of T4. The RB69 crystal structure and a homology model of T4 Soc were fitted into the cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the T4 capsid. This established the region of Soc that interacts with the major capsid protein and suggested a mechanism, verified by extensive mutational and biochemical studies, for stabilization of the capsid in which the Soc trimers act as clamps between neighboring capsomers. The results demonstrate the factors involved in stabilizing not only the capsids of T4-like bacteriophages but also many other virus capsids.

The 3.3-Å cryo-EM structure of the 860-Å-diameter isometric mutant bacteriophage T4 capsid has been determined. WT T4 has a prolate capsid characterized by triangulation numbers (T numbers) T = 13 for end caps and T = 20 for midsection. A mutation in the major capsid protein, gp23, produced T=13 icosahedral capsids. The capsid is stabilized by 660 copies of the outer capsid protein, Soc, which clamp adjacent gp23 hexamers. The occupancies of Soc molecules are proportional to the size of the angle between the planes of adjacent hexameric capsomers. The angle between adjacent hexameric capsomers is greatest around the fivefold vertices, where there is the largest deviation from a planar hexagonal array. Thus, the Soc molecules reinforce the structure where there is the greatest strain in the gp23 hexagonal lattice. Mutations that change the angles between adjacent capsomers affect the positions of the pentameric vertices, resulting in different triangulation numbers in bacteriophage T4. The analysis of the T4 mutant head assembly gives guidance to how other icosahedral viruses reproducibly assemble into capsids with a predetermined T number, although the influence of scaffolding proteins is also important.

The head of bacteriophage T4 is decorated with 155 copies of the highly antigenic outer capsid protein (Hoc). One Hoc molecule binds near the center of each hexameric capsomer. Hoc is dispensable for capsid assembly and has been used to display pathogenic antigens on the surface of T4. Here we report the crystal structure of a protein containing the first three of four domains of Hoc from bacteriophage RB49, a close relative of T4. The structure shows an approximately linear arrangement of the protein domains. Each of these domains has an immunoglobulin-like fold, frequently found in cell attachment molecules. In addition, we report biochemical data suggesting that Hoc can bind to Escherichia coli, supporting the hypothesis that Hoc could attach the phage capsids to bacterial surfaces and perhaps also to other organisms. The capacity for such reversible adhesion probably provides survival advantages to the bacteriophage.