Summary information and primary citation

PDB-id
2wj8; DSSR-derived features in text and JSON formats
Class
RNA binding protein-RNA
Method
X-ray (3.29 Å)
Summary
Respiratory syncitial virus ribonucleoprotein
Reference
Tawar RG, Duquerroy S, Vonrhein C, Varela PF, Damier-Piolle L, Castagne N, Maclellan K, Bedouelle H, Bricogne G, Bhella D, Eleouet J, Rey FA (2009): "Crystal Structure of a Nucleocapsid-Like Nucleoprotein-RNA Complex of Respiratory Syncytial Virus." Science, 326, 1279. doi: 10.1126/SCIENCE.1177634.
Abstract
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important human pathogen, yet neither a vaccine nor effective therapies are available to treat infection. To help elucidate the replication mechanism of this RNA virus, we determined the three-dimensional (3D) crystal structure at 3.3 A resolution of a decameric, annular ribonucleoprotein complex of the RSV nucleoprotein (N) bound to RNA. This complex mimics one turn of the viral helical nucleocapsid complex, which serves as template for viral RNA synthesis. The RNA wraps around the protein ring, with seven nucleotides contacting each N subunit, alternating rows of four and three stacked bases that are exposed and buried within a protein groove, respectively. Combined with electron microscopy data, this structure provides a detailed model for the RSV nucleocapsid, in which the bases are accessible for readout by the viral polymerase. Furthermore, the nucleoprotein structure highlights possible key sites for drug targeting.

Cartoon-block schematics in six views (download the tarball)

PyMOL session file Download PDB file View in 3Dmol.js