video: This is a clip illustrating the transition from the crystallized nucleoprotein ring to a helix of 7 nanometer pitch, as observed in authentic nucleocapsids, by 0.1 nm steps. The N protein subunits are displayed as grey ribbons, with one subunit colored according to domains, blue for N- and C-arms and yellow and red for the NTD and CTD, respectively. The RNA is shown in stick representation with backbone and bases in cyan and black, respectively. This movie shows that the contacts in the ring adapt very easily to make the contacts in the authentic, helical nucleocpsid of RSV. The N-terminal arm (in blue) moves with the neighboring subunit. This video relates to an article that appeared in the Nov. 27 issue of Science, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. R.G. Tawar of the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, and colleagues, was titled, "3-D Structure of a Nucleocapsid-Like Nucleoprotein-RNA Complex of Respiratory Syncytial Virus." view more
Credit: Video © <i>Science</i>/AAAS