Viral protein
The term viral protein refers to both the products of the genome of a
Viral structural proteins
Most viral structural proteins are components for the capsid and the envelope of the virus.
Capsid
The genetic material of a virus is stored within a viral protein structure called the capsid. The capsid is a "shield" that protects the viral nucleic acids from getting degraded by host enzymes or other types of pesticides or pestilences. It also functions to attach the
Several
Viral envelope
The capsid of some viruses are enclosed in a membrane called the viral envelope. In most cases, the viral envelope is obtained by the capsid from the host cell's plasma membrane when a virus leaves its host cell through a process called budding.[4] The viral envelope is made up of a lipid bilayer embedded with viral proteins, including viral glycoproteins.[1] These viral glycoproteins bind to specific receptors and coreceptors on the membrane of host cells, and they allow viruses to attach onto their target host cells.[1] Some of these glycoproteins include:
- influenza virus
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).[1]
Viral glycoproteins play a critical role in virus-to-cell fusion. Virus-to-cell fusion is initiated when viral glycoproteins bind to cellular receptors.[5]
Viral membrane fusion proteins
The fusion of the viral envelope with the
Viral glycoproteins and their three-dimensional structures, before and after fusion, have allowed a wide range of structural conformations to be discovered.[6] Viral membrane fusion proteins have been grouped into four different classes, and each class is identified by characteristic structural conformations:
- Class I: Post-fusion conformation has a distinct central coiled-coil structure composed of signature trimer of α-helical hairpins. An example of a Class I viral fusion protein is the HIV glycoprotein, gp41.[6]
- Class II: Protein lacks the central coiled-coil structure. Contains a characteristic elongated β- sheet ectodomain structure that refolds to give a trimer of hairpins. Examples of class II viral fusion proteins include the dengue virus E protein, and the west nile virus E protein.[5][6]
- Class III: Structural conformation is a combination of features from Class I and Class II viral membrane fusion proteins. An example of a Class III viral fusion protein is the rabies virus glycoprotein, G.[6]
- Class IV: Class IV viral fusion proteins are fusion-associated small transmembrane (FAST) proteins. They do not form trimers of hairpins or hairpin structures themselves, and they are the smallest known viral fusion proteins. FAST proteins are coded for by members of the nonenveloped reoviridae family of viruses.[6]
Viral nonstructural proteins
Viral nonstructural proteins are proteins coded for by the genome of the virus and are expressed in infected cells.[1] However, these proteins are not assembled in the virion.[1] During the replication of viruses, some viral nonstructural proteins carry out important functions that affect the replication process itself.[1] Similarly, during the assembly of viruses, some of these proteins also carry out important functions that affect the assembly process.[1] Some of these viral nonstructural protein functions are replicon formation, immunomodulation, and transactivation of viral structural protein encoding genes.[1]
Replicon formation
Viral nonstructural proteins interact with host cell proteins to form the replicon, otherwise known as the replication complex.
Immunomodulation
The
Viral regulatory and accessory proteins
Viral regulatory and accessory proteins have many functions. These viral proteins control and influence viral gene expressions in the viral genome, including viral structural gene transcription rates.[1] Viral regulatory and accessory proteins also influence and adjust cellular functions of the host cell, such as the regulation of genes, and apoptosis.[1]
In DNA viruses and retroviruses, viral regulatory proteins can enhance viral gene transcription, likewise, these proteins can also enhance host cellular gene transcription too.[11]
Viral accessory proteins, also known as auxiliary proteins, are coded for by the genome of retroviruses.[12] Most viral accessory proteins only carry out their functions in specific types of cells.[12] Also, they do not have much influence on the replication of the virus.[12] However, in some instances, maintaining the replication of viruses would require the help (and function) of viral accessory proteins.[12]
Endogenous retroviral proteins
References
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- ^ ISBN 978-0-393-12367-8.
- ^ Lodish, Harvey; Berk, Arnold; Zipursky, S. Lawrence; Matsudaira, Paul; Baltimore, David; Darnell, James (2000-01-01). Molecular Cell Biology: Viruses: Structure, Function, and Uses. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
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- ^ PMID 18568847.
- ^ PMID 25000995.
- ^ S2CID 38778113.
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- ^ a b c d Coffin, John M.; Hughes, Stephen H.; Varmus, Harold E. (1997-01-01). Retroviruses: Accessory Proteins and Assembly. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- S2CID 4367889.