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Virion Structure of Black Queen Cell Virus, a Common Honeybee Pathogen
- Source :
- Journal of Virology
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- American Society for Microbiology, 2017.
-
Abstract
- Viral diseases are a major threat to honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) populations worldwide and therefore an important factor in reliable crop pollination and food security. Black queen cell virus (BQCV) is the etiological agent of a fatal disease of honeybee queen larvae and pupae. The virus belongs to the genus Triatovirus from the family Dicistroviridae , which is part of the order Picornavirales . Here we present a crystal structure of BQCV determined to a resolution of 3.4 Å. The virion is formed by 60 copies of each of the major capsid proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3; however, there is no density corresponding to a 75-residue-long minor capsid protein VP4 encoded by the BQCV genome. We show that the VP4 subunits are present in the crystallized virions that are infectious. This aspect of the BQCV virion is similar to that of the previously characterized triatoma virus and supports the recent establishment of the separate genus Triatovirus within the family Dicistroviridae . The C terminus of VP1 and CD loops of capsid proteins VP1 and VP3 of BQCV form 34-Å-tall finger-like protrusions at the virion surface. The protrusions are larger than those of related dicistroviruses. IMPORTANCE The western honeybee is the most important pollinator of all, and it is required to sustain the agricultural production and biodiversity of wild flowering plants. However, honeybee populations worldwide are suffering from virus infections that cause colony losses. One of the most common, and least known, honeybee pathogens is black queen cell virus (BQCV), which at high titers causes queen larvae and pupae to turn black and die. Here we present the three-dimensional virion structure of BQCV, determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure of BQCV reveals large protrusions on the virion surface. Capsid protein VP1 of BQCV does not contain a hydrophobic pocket. Therefore, the BQCV virion structure provides evidence that capsid-binding antiviral compounds that can prevent the replication of vertebrate picornaviruses may be ineffective against honeybee virus infections.
- Subjects :
- Models, Molecular
0301 basic medicine
insect disease
Cripavirus
Protein Conformation
viruses
Triatovirus
Immunology
virus
honeybee
Crystallography, X-Ray
Microbiology
Genome
Virus
03 medical and health sciences
Virology
honey bee
capsid
Animals
structure
crystallography
Pathogen
Viral Structures
X-ray crystallography
2. Zero hunger
Dicistroviridae
virion
biology
Structure and Assembly
Picornavirales
Honey bee
Bees
biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition
biology.organism_classification
X ray
030104 developmental biology
Capsid
Insect Science
Capsid Proteins
Apis mellifera
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10985514 and 0022538X
- Volume :
- 91
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Virology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b3ce186aef1b214f15b98df2fe1aedc2