Packing to leave | Nature Reviews Microbiology

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe An essential feature of the life cycle of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the packaging of the viral RNA pre-genome (pgRNA) into virions. It has

been hypothesized that pgRNA is specifically packaged into viral nucleocapsids; however, the HBV assembly pathway remains incompletely understood. In a recent study, Patel, White _et al_.

discover that the HBV pgRNA contains specific nucleotide motifs that mediate interactions with the viral capsid protein to drive nucleocapsid assembly. Next, the authors designed

oligoribonucleotides that contained the predicted stem–loop structures and saw that these oligoribonucleotides bind to the HBV capsid protein and trigger the assembly of virus-like particles

(VLPs). Using cryo-electron microscopy, an asymmetric RNA feature was identified in these VLPs below the capsid protein shell, which the authors claim represents a complex between the

identified packaging signals and the viral capsid shell. These results suggest a new model of HBV assembly. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS

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FAQs * Contact customer support REFERENCES * Patel, N., White, S. J. et al. HBV RNA pre-genome encodes specific motifs that mediate interactions with the viral core protein that promote

nucleocapsid assembly. _Nat. Microbiol._ 2, 17098 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.98(2017) Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  Download references Authors * Ashley York View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE York, A. Packing to leave. _Nat

Rev Microbiol_ 15, 451 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro.2017.81 Download citation * Published: 10 July 2017 * Issue Date: August 2017 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro.2017.81

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