Integrated cryoEM structure of a spumaretrovirus reveals cross-kingdom evolutionary relationships and the molecular basis for assembly and virus entry

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Thomas Calcraft - , The Francis Crick Institute (Author)
  • Nicole Stanke-Scheffler - , Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) (Author)
  • Andrea Nans - , The Francis Crick Institute (Author)
  • Dirk Lindemann - , Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (Author)
  • Ian A. Taylor - , The Francis Crick Institute (Author)
  • Peter B. Rosenthal - , The Francis Crick Institute (Author)

Abstract

Foamy viruses (FVs) are an ancient lineage of retroviruses, with an evolutionary history spanning over 450 million years. Vector systems based on Prototype Foamy Virus (PFV) are promising candidates for gene and oncolytic therapies. Structural studies of PFV contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of FV replication, cell entry and infection, and retroviral evolution. Here we combine cryoEM and cryoET to determine high-resolution in situ structures of the PFV icosahedral capsid (CA) and envelope glycoprotein (Env), including its type III transmembrane anchor and membrane-proximal external region (MPER), and show how they are organized in an integrated structure of assembled PFV particles. The atomic models reveal an ancient retroviral capsid architecture and an unexpected relationship between Env and other class 1 fusion proteins of the Mononegavirales. Our results represent the de novo structure determination of an assembled retrovirus particle.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4213-4230.e19
JournalCell
Volume187
Issue number16
Publication statusPublished - 8 Aug 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 39013471
ORCID /0000-0002-0320-4223/work/167217251

Keywords

Keywords

  • capsid, cryo-EM, cryo-ET, foamy virus, membrane fusion, paramyxovirus, quasi-equivalence, receptor binding, retrovirus, virus evolution