Virus assembly, which takes place during the late stage of viral replication, is essential for virus propagation. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially for viruses with complicated structures. Here, we use correlative light and electron microscopy to examine the formation of cytoplasmic virion assembly compartments (cVACs) during infection by a γ-herpesvirus. These cVACs are membraneless organelles with liquid-like properties. Formation of cVACs during virus infection is mediated by ORF52, an abundant tegument protein. ORF52 undergoes liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), which is promoted by both DNA and RNA. Disrupting ORF52 phase separation blocks cVACs formation and virion production. These results demonstrate that phase separation of ORF52 is critical for cVACs formation. Our work defines herpesvirus cVACs as membraneless compartments that are generated through a process of LLPS mediated by a tegument protein and adds to the cellular processes that are facilitated by phase separation.
International Workshop of 3D Molecular Imaging by Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Third K. H. Kuo Summer School of Electron Microscopy and Crystallography in 2010.
International Workshop of Advanced Image Processing of Cryo-Electron Microscopy, 2013
Get acquainted with Cryo-Electron Microscopy: First Chinese Workshop for Structural Biologists, 2015
International Workshop of Advanced Image Processing of Cryo-Electron Microscopy, 2015
Instutions
Instutions
Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Scripps Research Institute
Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
Database
Database
National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)
Protein Data Bank
The Electron Microscopy Data Bank
ExPASy Proteomics Server
Pfam
3D EM
3DEM
Tools and Softwars
Tools and Softwars
CCP4
CCP-EM
MOLE 2.0 (characterization of channels and pores in protein complex)
