Viral Ribonucleoproteins
Viral Ribonucleoproteins - Related Videos
09:35
Purification and Visualization of Influenza A Viral Ribonucleoprotein Complexes
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Cited by 8 •
2009
The genome of the influenza A virus consists of eight separate complexes of RNA and proteins, termed viral ribonucleoprotein complexes (vRNPs). This paper describes the glycerol gradient purification and transmission electron microscopy visualization of influenza A vRNPs.
11:20
Affinity Purification of Influenza Virus Ribonucleoprotein Complexes from the Chromatin of Infected Cells
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Cited by 3 •
2012
Influenza viruses replicate their RNA genome in association with host-cell chromatin. Here, we present a method to purify intact viral ribonucleoprotein complexes from the chromatin of infected cells. Purified viral complexes can be analyzed by both Western blot and primer extension of protein and RNA content, respectively.
00:57
Viral Recombination
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2019
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment. Viral Recombination Can Create New Diseases Some diseases can infect multiple species. For example, pigs can be infected by some human and...
00:56
Viral Structure
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2019
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid. Structural Classes of Viruses Many criteria are used to classify viruses, including capsid design. Most viruses...
13:45
Using a Pan-Viral Microarray Assay (Virochip) to Screen Clinical Samples for Viral Pathogens
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Cited by 84 •
2011
The Virochip is a pan-viral microarray designed to simultaneously detect all known viruses as well as novel viruses on the basis of conserved sequence homology. Here we demonstrate how to run a Virochip assay to analyze clinical samples for the presence of both known and unknown viruses.
FAQs
Nucleoproteins primarily coat the viral genome, whereas viral polymerases and associated factors bind the RNA to create a functional template. This organization does more than compact genetic material: coating can protect the genome, while the polymerase-containing arrangement supports transcription or replication. Consequently, changes in vRNP composition or assembly can affect both genome stability and productive infection.
Assembly links the physical organization of viral RNA with later stages of infection. Properly formed complexes can preserve the genome and provide the arrangement needed for transcription or replication, while their trafficking determines where these activities or interactions occur in the cell. Because assembly and movement also influence infectivity, they connect viral life-cycle progression with host responses.
Exposure is a key determinant of whether host RNA-sensing pathways can encounter viral genetic material. When RNA or its associated complex becomes accessible, cellular sensors may contribute to innate immune recognition; when it remains packaged, recognition conditions may differ. Thus, vRNP dynamics can influence both genome use by the virus and the timing of antiviral host responses.
An investigation can follow four connected features: structure, assembly, trafficking, and exposure to cellular sensors. Examining them together helps distinguish whether a change primarily affects genome organization, movement through the cell, RNA use in transcription or replication, or immune detection. This framework supports interpretation of how altered complexes relate to infectivity and innate responses.
These complexes can help identify antiviral targets because they connect viral RNA handling with essential steps in infection. Researchers can ask whether an intervention disrupts assembly, genome protection, trafficking, or the polymerase-supported template needed for transcription or replication. Linking a molecular effect to reduced infectivity provides a way to interpret why a target may be valuable.
Vaccine strategies need to consider how viral RNA is packaged and presented to host cells, rather than treating the genome as an isolated molecule. Packaging may affect how the genome is protected and how it becomes exposed to RNA-sensing pathways, while presentation influences immune recognition. Accounting for these properties can make vaccine-focused assays more representative of infection-related biology.