Studies show that the virus relies on the properties of diverse RNA so that packs their genome precision

Researchers at San Diego State University and Michigan State University are shedding new light on how viruses carefully pack their genetic material. This is a breakthrough that can help researchers treat engineer antivirals and genes.

Team results, which have been published in The action of the National Academy of ScienceShow how a combination of molecular properties allow the virus to select its own RNA in protein shells, called the caps, while the hosts ignore their own competitive genome. Like a molecular coach, the capsed protect the genetic material of a virus from damage and help the host cells stick to the cells.

Knowing how the virus packs their RNA with high selection – a feat obtained with more than 99 % accuracy through some viruses can help scientists engineer their own version of the capacity in the lab and can benefit them as powerful scientific tools.

“From a health point of view, artificial capside can be used to make antiviruses that target RNA packaging, which can affect human, plants and animal agriculture as well as veterinary medicine,” Kirsten Parents, MSU’s Creo-AM and Fresh Affairs.

The latest development was the result of mutual cooperation between Spartan researchers and those in the Garman lab at San Diego State University, which reviews the complex molecular choreography behind viral transcript, infection and evolution.

“Some RNA viruses have been made from less than 200 molecules,” said Race Garman, Assistant Professor of SDSU Department and Biochemistry and senior author of the new research.

“And yet they are able to fulfill the remarkable achievements, such as duplicating astronomical numbers and building the exact nanoskal structure.”

Hosted with the most

To describe the amazing amount of the virus found on our planet, parents offer their students this eye -catching example: If you dig two handwritten water from the Michigan lake, you will have more viruses than being human on Earth.

In these viruses, the most large varieties are bacteria, or stages – viruses that affect and copy the bacteria. In his new research, researchers inspected a phase called MS2, which falls on e -coli.

Viruses rely on the molecular machinery of other cells. When the MS2 is connected to the bacterium, it injures its genetic material, forcing the host cell to collect viral copies.

During this process, the viral coat proteins accumulate around the viral RNA to create a capside, which protects genetic cargo. The 180 -like coat has been arranged to create 20 different aspects with protein, resulting in the virus slightly like a football ball or game dye.

Finally, when the host cell burst, a new generation of these phase copies is released.

For researchers like Garman and Parents, the question was how the phase can identify its genome and pack it so effectively, especially when the RNA is mixing with the host’s competitive genetic content.

Parents said, “99 % of the particles we are seeing in the end have been formed completely viral copies, so this is a highly sincere process,” which is also a professor in the MSU’s Department of Biochemistry and molecular biology.

RNA Origi

RNA is trapped in the DNA’s famous double helks. This means that it can create complex secondary structures such as bulges, loops and hair pin.

Earlier, researchers believed that a special structure called TR Steam Loop worked as a packaging signal for MS2. You can think of it as a molecular sign post that shows where the viral RNA packaging should start.

To see what other factors can affect the packaging, researchers revolve around MS2 genome, which creates RNA construction with unique features. These included molecules of different shapes, lengths and sequences.

Looking at the products far from an assembly line after major changes on the factory floor, the team then analyzed the results of the capsted packaging to determine the effects of these RNA opportunities.

In particular, they were able to see the results of unique and often amazing capside packaging – viral particles that were very small, and even have defective shapes.

What researchers finally discovered was that the MS2 coat protein itself is able to package the viral RNA itself, and that a diverse group of RNA features, not only the well -known TR stem loop, has had an extraordinary effect on the process. It included RNA length, layout and various stem and loop structures that make collective differences.

Through their search, the team is helping to rewrite our understanding of how some viruses get their impressive RNA-packaging achievements. With artificial capside and new genetic cargo, the same molecular mechanism can be benefited for maximum good-from genes modification and vaccine to the next generation of RNA-based treatment.