Major capsid protein 2

UniProtKB accession:  Q914J5

Grouped By:  Matching UniProtKB accession

UniProtKB description:  Self-assembles to form a helical, filamentous nucleocapsid mesuring 1980 nm in length and 24 nm in width. Together with capsid protein 1, wraps arounds the DNA and maintains it in an A-form. Capsid proteins probably maintain the DNA in A-form by non-specific desolvation and specific coordination of the DNA phosphate groups by positively charged residues. This certainly protects the viral DNA under conditions such as the extreme desiccation of its host.