Atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy analysis of retrovirus Gag proteins assembled in vitro on lipid bilayers. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy analysis of retrovirus Gag proteins assembled in vitro on lipid bilayers.

Biophys J. 2000 Jan;78(1):373-84. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/20086623
Zuber G; Barklis E; Vollum Institute, Department of Microbiology, Oregon Health; Sciences University, Portland, Oregon 97201-3098 USA.

Abstract: We have used an in vitro system that mimics the assembly of immature Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) particles to examine how viral structural (Gag) proteins oligomerize at membrane interfaces. Ordered arrays of histidine-tagged Moloney capsid protein (his-MoCA) were obtained on membrane bilayers composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and the nickel-chelating lipid 1, 2-di-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-(1'-2"-R-hydroxy-3'N-(5-amino-1-car- boxy pentyl)iminodiacetic acid)propyl ether (DHGN). The membrane-bound arrays were analyzed by electron microscopy (EM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two-dimensional projection images obtained by EM showed that bilayer-bound his-MoCA proteins formed cages surrounding different types of protein-free cage holes with similar cage holes spaced at 81.5-A distances and distances between dissimilar cage holes of 45.5 A. AFM images, showing topological features viewed near the membrane-proximal domain of the his-MoCA protein, revealed a cage network of only symmetrical hexamers spaced at 79-A distances. These results are consistent with a model in which dimers constitute structural building blocks and where membrane-proximal and distal his-MoCA regions interact with different partners in membrane-bound arrays.

Keywords: JOURNAL ARTICLE Capsid/GENETICS/METABOLISM/ULTRASTRUCTURE Cloning, Molecular Escherichia coli Gene Products, gag/*METABOLISM/*ULTRASTRUCTURE Lipid Bilayers/*CHEMISTRY Microscopy, Atomic Force/METHODS Microscopy, Electron/METHODS Moloney Leukemia Virus/*METABOLISM Phosphatidylcholines/*CHEMISTRY Recombinant Proteins/METABOLISM/ULTRASTRUCTURE Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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