Structures of honeybee-infecting Lake Sinai virus reveal domain functions and capsid assembly with dynamic motions.
Chen, N.C., Wang, C.H., Yoshimura, M., Yeh, Y.Q., Guan, H.H., Chuankhayan, P., Lin, C.C., Lin, P.J., Huang, Y.C., Wakatsuki, S., Ho, M.C., Chen, C.J.(2023) Nat Commun 14: 545-545
- PubMed: 36726015 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36235-3
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
7XPA, 7XPB, 7XPD, 7XPE, 7XPF, 7XPG - PubMed Abstract: 
Understanding the structural diversity of honeybee-infecting viruses is critical to maintain pollinator health and manage the spread of diseases in ecology and agriculture. We determine cryo-EM structures of T = 4 and T = 3 capsids of virus-like particles (VLPs) of Lake Sinai virus (LSV) 2 and delta-N48 LSV1, belonging to tetraviruses, at resolutions of 2.3-2.6 Å in various pH environments. Structural analysis shows that the LSV2 capsid protein (CP) structural features, particularly the protruding domain and C-arm, differ from those of other tetraviruses. The anchor loop on the central β-barrel domain interacts with the neighboring subunit to stabilize homo-trimeric capsomeres during assembly. Delta-N48 LSV1 CP interacts with ssRNA via the rigid helix α1', α1'-α1 loop, β-barrel domain, and C-arm. Cryo-EM reconstructions, combined with X-ray crystallographic and small-angle scattering analyses, indicate that pH affects capsid conformations by regulating reversible dynamic particle motions and sizes of LSV2 VLPs. C-arms exist in all LSV2 and delta-N48 LSV1 VLPs across varied pH conditions, indicating that autoproteolysis cleavage is not required for LSV maturation. The observed linear domino-scaffold structures of various lengths, made up of trapezoid-shape capsomeres, provide a basis for icosahedral T = 4 and T = 3 architecture assemblies. These findings advance understanding of honeybee-infecting viruses that can cause Colony Collapse Disorder.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Life Science Group, Scientific Research Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, 30076, Taiwan, ROC.