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Definition of the components required for selective packaging of coronavirus genomic RNA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

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Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Generation and Assembly of Virus-Specific Nucleocapsids of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Generation and Assembly of Virus-Specific Nucleocapsids of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Published on: July 27, 2021

Coronavirus genome packaging and nucleocapsid assembly.

Paul S Masters^1,2

¹Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, New York, USA.

Journal of Virology

|January 8, 2026

Summary

Coronaviruses selectively package their genomic RNA (gRNA) into virions, a process crucial for immune evasion but not essential for assembly. This review explores the mechanisms and components involved in this selective packaging.

Keywords:

coronavirus genomic RNA packaging nucleocapsid assembly packaging signal protein phosphorylation

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Simple and Robust in vivo and in vitro Approach for Studying Virus Assembly

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Preparation of Viral DNA from Nucleocapsids

Preparation of Viral DNA from Nucleocapsids

Published on: August 16, 2011

Area of Science:

Virology
Molecular Biology
Immunology

Background:

Coronaviruses are positive-strand RNA viruses.
They exhibit selective packaging of genomic RNA (gRNA) into virions.
This selectivity is vital for evading host immune responses but not for virion assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the mechanisms of coronavirus genomic RNA packaging.
To discuss the viral components involved in recognizing packaging signals.
To explore nucleocapsid structure, assembly, and its relationship with RNA synthesis and protein phosphorylation.

Main Methods:

Review of recent studies on coronavirus genome packaging.
Analysis of viral components recognizing packaging signals.
Examination of nucleocapsid protein phosphorylation and its role in assembly and RNA synthesis.

Main Results:

Coronavirus gRNA packaging is highly selective.
This selectivity is critical for immune evasion, not virion assembly.
Recent studies have advanced understanding of packaging signals, viral recognition components, and nucleocapsid assembly.

Conclusions:

A distinction exists between selective gRNA packaging and nucleocapsid assembly in coronaviruses.
Understanding these processes is crucial, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further research is needed to fully elucidate the interplay between phosphorylation, assembly, and RNA synthesis.