In vitro assembly of the Rous Sarcoma Virus capsid protein into hexamer tubes at physiological temperature.

During a proteolytically-driven maturation process, the orthoretroviral capsid protein (CA) assembles to form the convex shell that surrounds the viral genome. In some orthoretroviruses, including Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV), CA carries a short and hydrophobic spacer peptide (SP) at its C-terminus early in the maturation process, which is progressively removed as maturation proceeds. In this work, we show that RSV CA assembles in vitro at near-physiological temperatures, forming hexamer tubes that effectively model the mature capsid surface.

A structural model for the generation of continuous curvature on the surface of a retroviral capsid.

The genome of a retrovirus is surrounded by a convex protein shell, or capsid, that helps facilitate infection. The major part of the capsid surface is formed by interlocking capsid protein (CA) hexamers. We report electron and X-ray crystallographic analysis of a variety of specimens assembled in vitro from Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) CA.

Proton-linked dimerization of a retroviral capsid protein initiates capsid assembly.

In mature retroviral particles, the capsid protein (CA) forms a shell encasing the viral replication complex. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) CA dimerizes in solution, through its C-terminal domain (CTD), and this interaction is important for capsid assembly. In contrast, other retroviral capsid proteins, including that of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), do not dimerize with measurable affinity.

A study of the foodborne pathogens: Campylobacter, Listeria and Yersinia, in faeces from slaughter-age cattle and sheep in Australia.

In a study of faeces from 475 slaughter-age cattle and sheep from 19 herds or flocks, Campylobacter species (C. jejuni and C. coli) were cultured from all production systems studied and from 73.