Capsid in Biological News

Findings uncover new details about mysterious virus

... that covers a "special vertex," an opening in the capsid where genetic material leaves the virus to infect ... had assumed that, like many other viruses, it's capsid possessed a design known as icosahedral symmetry. ... symmetry revealed that one side of the virus's capsid is slightly different than the others, whereas ...

Biologists learn structure, mechanism of powerful 'molecular motor' in virus

... The motor is needed to insert DNA into the capsid of the T4 virus, which is called a bacteriophage ... complete record of a virus's properties, and the capsid protects this record from damage and ensures that ... the upper disc, pushing the DNA into the virus's capsid in the process. The top disc of the motor pulls ...

Viruses, start your engines!

... The researchers found that the motor is located at the intersection of the capsid and the virus "tail" and is made of a circular array of proteins called ... pulling on a rope. The process draws the DNA strand upwards into the capsid where it is protected from damage, enabling the virus to survive and ...

Scientists learn structure of enzyme in unusual virus

... to the roughly 5,000 copies of a protein that assembles to form the viral capsid that surrounds and protects the virus's DNA genome. "The glucose may be ... into the capsid," Rossmann said. In addition, the glucose on the capsid also may be involved in the initiation of the viral infection, he said. ...

Scripps research team identifies key molecules that inhibit viral production

... drugs to treat the virus and very few tools to study it," Strosberg said. "We set out to develop new tools and to identify a new target core, the capsid protein. By targeting the interactions of core with itself or other proteins, we could reduce the problem of rapid mutation not only because the core ...

Syracuse University partners with Serum Institute of India to develop vaccines for children

... it is a viral capsulethe outer core of which is coated with proteins. "It's a totally different problem," Doyle says. "We need to deliver the viral capsid to the wall of the small intestine and keep it there long enough to trigger an immune response directly in the intestine, which is the first line of ...

Scientists discover DNA knot keeps viral genes tightly corked inside shell

... author of the paper. The knot-like shape of the toroid, along with interlocking bumps in the protein envelope, may keep the DNA wedged into the capsid until the virus docks onto the host cell. "It's poised in this tube waiting to go through the bacterial wall," Baker said. "All of the components ...

The connector rotation hypothesis? Phage do not pack their DNA by rotation

... debate, but we know that the DNA passes into the capsid shell through a channel formed by a structure ... the connector complex might feed the DNA into the capsid as it turns. In a new study published online ... subtilis bacteriophage ö29 crams its DNA into the capsid following replication. Using their ...

Trials for new drug to overcome HIV

... formation of a conical shield, called the capsid protein, which stores and protects the RNA heart ... a microscope, shows that the drug binds to the capsid protein at acrucial stage in its manufacture (Journal of Virology, vol 80, p 5716). Normally, the capsid protein is clipped apart from a major structural ...

Mass production of human papillomavirus could lead to gains against cervical cancer

... Ahlquist. Researchers had long known that the HPV capsid proteins, which were necessary for virion ... introducing the genes for these self-assembling capsid proteins into cells along with smaller pieces of ... the full HPV genome along with the genes for HPV capsid proteins into human cells and manipulate them to ...

Basis for DNA ejection from single phage particles

... (also known as bacteriophages) are formed of a capsid structure, or head, in which the viral genome is ... to the bacterial host's cytoplasm, whereas the capsid and tail remain bound to the cell surface. This ... built during packaging of the DNA in the phage capsid was responsible for DNA ejection. This pressure ...

Engineer ramps up protein production, develops versatile viral spheres

... first time, but also have attached uniquely reactive amino acids to the capsid surfaces. Theamino acids allow the capsids to either stick to and ... than a traditional vaccine to elicit a strong and specific response. The capsid method is akin to advertising a product directly to the people who are ...

Scientists force viruses to evolve as better delivery vehicles for gene therapy

... consists of two genes enclosed within a ball, or capsid, of proteins. The capsid proteins are what antibodies recognize, and as a result were the target of ... By sequencing the survivor strains, the researchers discovered that the capsid proteins of the survivors differed from those of the original strain by ...

Live Recombinant Adenovirus Vaccine Technique Explored

... other scientists showed that a vaccine consisting of recombinant HPV major capsid protein (L1) provides effective immunity to HPV infection. Dr. Ketner and ... adenovirus vaccine prototypes: High-level production of a papillomavirus capsid antigen from the major late transcriptional unit?include Michael Berg, ...

Crammed with charged DNA, pressure rises inside virus

... of positively charged ions, the virus could not force all of its DNA into the capsid.” The researchers discovered that the forces in the capsid are slightly higher than predicted by theoretical calculations. They say this may be because the packed DNA is less ordered than assumed in the ...

HIV gets a makeover

... the first was a protein called TRIM5 that, in monkeys, recognizes the outer shell or "capsid" of HIV-1 but not that of SIV. By swapping out the capsid region of the HIV-1 genome for that of the monkey virus, and then selectively growing the viruses that replicated most robustly, over several ...

Unraveling the viral mechanism

... it again. But if you coil the hose orderly, then it is easy to use again. I think the virus does the same thing. The virus genome has to enter the capsid during the birth of the virus and then inject into the cell during infection. It has to come in and get out easily. The hub anchors the tail spikes, ...

Ancient ants arose 140-168 million years ago

... particles, which closely resemble norovirus but are noninfectious. Using mass spectrometry, the researchers were able to detect the norovirus capsid protein down to levels typically found in clinical specimens from sick individuals. "This is the first report of the use of mass spectrometry for ...

Researchers use mass spectrometry to detect norovirus particles

... particles, which closely resemble norovirus but are noninfectious. Using mass spectrometry, the researchers were able to detect the norovirus capsid protein down to levels typically found in clinical specimens from sick individuals. "This is the first report of the use of mass spectrometry for ...

New vaccine means bye-bye to bacteria in the lung

... P. aeruginosa, called OprF, which had previously been recognized as a promising vaccine candidate. This region of the bacteria was expressed in the capsid area of the vector. Immunization of mice with this vaccine induced antibody production and protected the mice from exposure to a deadly dose of the ...

New Species of Coral Discovered Off Southern California

... of Heidelberg researchers of the university hospitals?Virology Section and the DKFZ have now found an area within the structure molecule of the viral capsid that tolerates the substantial extension by GFP. Although the insertion of the GFP molecule enlarges the HIV structure protein by about one half, ...

Virologists make major step towards understanding the process of HIV infection

... of Heidelberg researchers of the university hospitals?Virology Section and the DKFZ have now found an area within the structure molecule of the viral capsid that tolerates the substantial extension by GFP. Although the insertion of the GFP molecule enlarges the HIV structure protein by about one half, ...