Open AccessSeeing the Portal in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 B Capsids
Author(s) -
Ryan H. Rochat,
X. Liu,
Kazuyoshi Murata,
Kuniaki Nagayama,
Frazer J. Rixon,
Wah Chiu
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.01663-10
Subject(s) - capsid , herpes simplex virus , biology , virology , icosahedral symmetry , context (archaeology) , cryo electron microscopy , vertex (graph theory) , simplex , simplexvirus , protein subunit , zernike polynomials , virus , crystallography , physics , herpesviridae , optics , biophysics , computer science , genetics , geometry , viral disease , theoretical computer science , gene , mathematics , graph , chemistry , paleontology , wavefront
Resolving the nonicosahedral components in large icosahedral viruses remains a technical challenge in structural virology. We have used the emerging technique of Zernike phase-contrast electron cryomicroscopy to enhance the image contrast of ice-embedded herpes simplex virus type 1 capsids. Image reconstruction enabled us to retrieve the structure of the unique portal vertex in the context of the icosahedral capsid and, for the first time, show the subunit organization of a portal in a virus infecting eukaryotes. Our map unequivocally resolves the 12-subunit portal situated beneath one of the pentameric vertices, thus removing uncertainty over the location and stoichiometry of the herpesvirus portal.
Accelerating Research
Robert Robinson Avenue,
Oxford Science Park, Oxford
OX4 4GP, United Kingdom
Address
John Eccles HouseRobert Robinson Avenue,
Oxford Science Park, Oxford
OX4 4GP, United Kingdom