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Structure determination of the bacteriophage phiX174
R McKenna1, D Xia, P Willingmann
1Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.
Acta Crystallographica. Section B, Structural Science
|August 1, 1992
Summary
The structure of the single-stranded DNA phage phiX174 was determined to 3.4 A resolution using molecular replacement. This revealed the arrangement of F, G, and J polypeptides and ordered DNA within the capsid.
Area of Science:
- Structural Biology
- Virology
- Biophysics
Background:
- The bacteriophage phiX174 is a well-studied model organism for single-stranded DNA viruses.
- Understanding its capsid structure is crucial for viral assembly and host interaction studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the high-resolution three-dimensional structure of the phiX174 phage.
- To elucidate the arrangement of its protein subunits and internal DNA.
Main Methods:
- X-ray crystallography with synchrotron radiation.
- Molecular replacement using cowpea mosaic virus as a search model.
- Real-space and reciprocal-space electron density averaging.
Main Results:
- The phiX174 phage structure was resolved to 3.4 A resolution.
- The arrangement of F, G, and J polypeptides forming the capsid, including 12 pentameric spikes, was determined.
- Evidence of ordered DNA structure within the capsid was observed.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a detailed structural model of the phiX174 phage.
- The findings offer insights into the assembly and architecture of single-stranded DNA viruses.