Giant variations in giant virus genome packaging

Trends Biochem Sci. 2023 Sep 28:S0968-0004(23)00229-3. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.09.003. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGiant viruses (Nucleocytoviricota) have a largely conserved lifecycle, yet how they cram their large genomes into viral capsids is mostly unknown. The major capsid protein and the packaging ATPase (pATPase) comprise a highly conserved morphogenesis module in giant viruses, yet some giant viruses dispense with an icosahedral capsid, and others encode multiple versions of pATPases, including conjoined ATPase doublets, or encode none. Some giant viruses have acquired DNA-condensing proteins to compact their genomes, including sheath-like structures encasing folded DNA or densely packed viral nucleosomes that show a resemblance to eukaryotic nucleosomes at the telomeres. Here, we review what is known and unknown about these ATPases and condensing proteins, and place these variations in the context of viral lifecycles.PMID:37777391 | DOI:10.1016/j.tibs.2023.09.003

Source: Trends in Biochemical Sciences - September 30, 2023 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Paul B Talbert Steven Henikoff Karim-Jean Armache Source Type: research