Segment self-repulsion is the major driving force of influenza genome packaging
UMass Chan Affiliations
Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative BiologyDocument Type
Accepted ManuscriptPublication Date
2013-03-01Keywords
*Genome, ViralInfluenza A virus
*Models, Genetic
RNA, Viral
Thermodynamics
Virion
Bacterial Infections and Mycoses
Biophysics
Genomics
Investigative Techniques
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Virology
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The genome of influenza A virus consists of eight separate RNA segments, which are selectively packaged into virions prior to virus budding. The microscopic mechanism of highly selective packaging involves molecular interactions between packaging signals in the genome segments and remains poorly understood. We propose that the condition of proper packaging can be formulated as a large gap between RNA-RNA interaction energies in the viable virion with eight unique segments and in improperly packed assemblages lacking the complete genome. We then demonstrate that selective packaging of eight unique segments into an infective influenza virion can be achieved by self-repulsion of identical segments at the virion assembly stage, rather than by previously hypothesized intricate molecular recognition of particular segments. Using Monte Carlo simulations to maximize the energy gap, without any other assumptions, we generated model eight-segment virions, which all display specific packaging, strong self-repulsion of the segments, and reassortment patterns similar to natural influenza. The model provides a biophysical foundation of influenza genome packaging and reassortment and serves as an important step towards robust sequence-driven prediction of reassortment patterns of the influenza virus.Source
Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Mar 1;110(9):098104. Epub 2013 Feb 28. DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.098104
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.098104Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/29506PubMed ID
23496749Related Resources
Rights
Accepted Manuscript posted as allowed by publisher's copyright policyae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.098104