Sporulation-dependent phagelike particles in inclusion-forming Bacillus species

1986 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Tam ◽  
Philip Fitz-James
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Late Stage ◽  
Immune Reaction ◽  
Major Capsid Protein ◽  
Stage Ii ◽  
Bacillus Species ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Molecular Weights

Phagelike particles, which have been observed in sporulated cells of Bacillus medusa, were found to appear at about late stage II in all supspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis toxic to mosquito larvae. All phagelike particles were similar in size and shape and when purified possessed capsid proteins of similar molecular weights and immune reaction. The synthesis of the major capsid protein occurred at the same time as complete phagelike particles were detected by electron microscopy. The production of phagelike particles was not essential for sporulation.

scholarly journals The 4.4 Å structure of the giant Melbournevirus virion belonging to the Marseilleviridae family

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond N Burton-Smith ◽  
Hemanth K N Reddy ◽  
Martin Svenda ◽  
Chantal Abergel ◽  
Kenta Okamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Major Capsid Protein ◽  
Capsid Proteins ◽  
Atomic Model ◽  
Penton Base ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Internal Membrane ◽  
Structural Details ◽  
Giant Viruses

Members of Marseilleviridae, one family of icosahedral giant viruses classified in 2012 have been identified worldwide in all types of environments. The virion shows a characteristic internal membrane extrusion at the five-fold vertices of the capsid, but its structural details need to be elucidated. We now report the 4.4 Å cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Melbournevirus capsid. An atomic model of the major capsid protein (MCP) shows a unique cup structure on the trimer that accommodates additional proteins. A polyalanine model of the penton base protein shows internally extended N- and C-terminals, which indirectly connect to the internal membrane extrusion. The Marseilleviruses share the same orientational organisation of the MCPs as PBCV-1 and CroV, but do not appear to possess a protein akin to the ″tape measure″ of these viruses. Minor capsid proteins named PC-β, zipper, and scaffold are proposed to control the dimensions of the capsid during assembly.

Germination, Growth, and Sporulation ofBacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis in Excreted Food Vacuoles of the Protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1750-1758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Manasherob ◽  
Eitan Ben-Dov ◽  
Arieh Zaritsky ◽  
Ze’ev Barak
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Phase Contrast ◽  
Tetrahymena Pyriformis ◽  
Viable Cell ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Nontarget Organisms ◽  
Ofbacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Food Vacuoles

ABSTRACT Spores of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp.israelensis and their toxic crystals are bioencapsulated in the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis, in which the toxin remains stable. Each T. pyriformis cell concentrates the spores and crystals in its food vacuoles, thus delivering them to mosquito larvae, which rapidly die. Vacuoles containing undigested material are later excreted from the cells. The fate of spores and toxin inside the food vacuoles was determined at various times after excretion by phase-contrast and electron microscopy as well as by viable-cell counting. Excreted food vacuoles gradually aggregated, and vegetative growth of B. thuringiensis subsp.israelensis was observed after 7 h as filaments that stemmed from the aggregates. The outgrown cells sporulated between 27 and 42 h. The spore multiplication values in this system are low compared to those obtained in carcasses of B. thuringiensissubsp. israelensis-killed larvae and pupae, but this bioencapsulation represents a new possible mode of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis recycling in nontarget organisms.

scholarly journals Small Capsid Protein pORF65 Is Essential for Assembly of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Capsids

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (14) ◽  
pp. 7201-7211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward M. Perkins ◽  
Daniel Anacker ◽  
Aaron Davis ◽  
Vishwam Sankar ◽  
Richard F. Ambinder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Insect Cells ◽  
Major Capsid Protein ◽  
Scaffold Protein ◽  
Velocity Sedimentation ◽  
Icosahedral Structure ◽  
Capsid Shell ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent for KS tumors, multicentric Castleman's disease, and primary effusion lymphomas. Like other herpesvirus capsids, the KSHV capsid is an icosahedral structure composed of six proteins. The capsid shell is made up of the major capsid protein, two triplex proteins, and the small capsid protein. The scaffold protein and the protease occupy the internal space. The assembly of KSHV capsids is thought to occur in a manner similar to that determined for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Our goal was to assemble KSHV capsids in insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system. Six KSHV capsid open reading frames were cloned and the proteins expressed in Sf9 cells: pORF25 (major capsid protein), pORF62 (triplex 1), pORF26 (triplex 2), pORF17 (protease), pORF17.5 (scaffold protein), and also pORF65 (small capsid protein). When insect cells were coinfected with these baculoviruses, angular capsids that contained internal core structures were readily observed by conventional electron microscopy of the infected cells. Capsids were also readily isolated from infected cells by using rate velocity sedimentation. With immuno-electron microscopy methods, these capsids were seen to be reactive to antisera to pORF65 as well as to KSHV-positive human sera, indicating the correct conformation of pORF65 in these capsids. When either virus expressing the triplex proteins was omitted from the coinfection, capsids did not assemble; similar to observations made in HSV-1-infected cells. If the virus expressing the scaffold protein was excluded, large open shells that did not attain icosahedral structure were seen in the nuclei of infected cells. The presence of pORF65 was required for capsid assembly, in that capsids did not form if this protein was absent as judged by both by ultrastructural analysis of infected cells and rate velocity sedimentation experiments. Thus, a novel outcome of this study is the finding that the small capsid protein of KSHV, like the major capsid and triplex proteins, is essential for capsid shell assembly.

scholarly journals Expression of Major Capsid Protein VP-1 in the Absence of Viral Particles in Thymomas Induced by Murine Polyomavirus

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 2891-2899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norberto Sanjuan ◽  
Analı́a Porrás ◽  
Javier Otero ◽  
Sofı́a Perazzo
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Major Capsid Protein ◽  
Structural Protein ◽  
Induced Tumors ◽  
Viral Particles ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Murine Polyomavirus

ABSTRACT Thymomas induced by polyomavirus strain PTA in mice are known to express the major capsid protein VP-1. Since the expression of a late structural protein such as VP-1 is considered a sign of virus replication, the present work attempted to clarify the implication of the presence of this protein in tumor cells. Electron microscopy of tumors showed a striking absence of viral particles in the vast majority of the cells. However, immunoelectron microscopy of the same samples demonstrated intranuclear VP-1 in most cells despite the absence of viral particles. Very little infectious virus was recovered from tumors. A change in the electrophoretic mobility of VP-1 from thymomas was detected compared with VP-1 from productively infected cells. The data presented in this work prove that the expression of VP-1 in polyomavirus-induced tumors is not synonymous with the presence of infectious virus, suggesting a possible defect in viral encapsidation.

Electron Microscope Study of RNA's of Paramyxoviruses

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 196-197
Author(s):  
Ruchama Baum ◽  
J.T. Seto
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Electron Microscope Study ◽  
Sendai Virus ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Rna Molecules ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Length Measurements

The ribonucleic acid (RNA) of paramyxoviruses has been characterized by biochemical and physiochemical methods. However, paramyxovirus RNA molecules have not been studied by electron microscopy. The molecular weights of these single-stranded viral RNA molecules are not known as yet. Since electron microscopy has been found to be useful for the characterization of single-stranded RNA, this investigation was initiated to examine the morphology and length measurements of paramyxovirus RNA's.Sendai virus Z strain and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), Milano strain, were used. For these studies it was necessary to develop a method of extracting RNA molecules from purified virus particles. Highly purified Sendai virus was treated with pronase (300 μg/ml) at 37°C for 30 minutes and the RNA extracted by the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-phenol procedure.

Nucleic Acid Molecules Prepared by Monolayer Techniques

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 178-179
Author(s):  
Dimitrij Lang
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Contour Length ◽  
Sample Standard Deviation ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Length Measurements ◽  
Protein Monolayer

The success of the protein monolayer technique for electron microscopy of individual DNA molecules is based on the prevention of aggregation and orientation of the molecules during drying on specimen grids. DNA adsorbs first to a surface-denatured, insoluble cytochrome c monolayer which is then transferred to grids, without major distortion, by touching. Fig. 1 shows three basic procedures which, modified or not, permit the study of various important properties of nucleic acids, either in concert with other methods or exclusively:1) Molecular weights relative to DNA standards as well as number distributions of molecular weights can be obtained from contour length measurements with a sample standard deviation between 1 and 4%.

scholarly journals Structural Analysis of Jumbo Coliphage phAPEC6

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen Wagemans ◽  
Jessica Tsonos ◽  
Dominique Holtappels ◽  
Kiandro Fortuna ◽  
Jean-Pierre Hernalsteens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Host Interaction ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Tail Sheath ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Contractile Tail ◽  
Phage Capsid

The phAPEC6 genome encodes 551 predicted gene products, with the vast majority (83%) of unknown function. Of these, 62 have been identified as virion-associated proteins by mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS), including the major capsid protein (Gp225; present in 1620 copies), which shows a HK97 capsid protein-based fold. Cryo-electron microscopy experiments showed that the 350-kbp DNA molecule of Escherichia coli virus phAPEC6 is packaged in at least 15 concentric layers in the phage capsid. A capsid inner body rod is also present, measuring about 91 nm by 18 nm and oriented along the portal axis. In the phAPEC6 contractile tail, 25 hexameric stacked rings can be distinguished, built of the identified tail sheath protein (Gp277). Cryo-EM reconstruction reveals the base of the unique hairy fibers observed during an initial transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. These very unusual filaments are ordered at three annular positions along the contractile sheath, as well as around the capsid, and may be involved in host interaction.

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