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PLoS Pathogens Issue Image | Vol. 17(7) July 2021

Three-dimensional structure of Nipah virus nucleocapsid assembly

Nipah virus is a highly pathogenic RNA virus, which, along with the closely related Hendra virus, has the potential to escalate into a pandemic. The figure shows the cryo-electron microscopy structure of a 13-subunit segment of the Nipah nucleocapsid protein assembly with RNA, with the RNA (purple neon) bound in a groove between an inner oligomerisation (pink) and outer exposed (green) domains. This helical ribonucleoprotein assembly serves to safeguard the viral genome by protecting it from degradation and host immune detection, and facilitating the packaging of the viral genome into new virion. Ker et al.

Image Credit: Nair S R, 2021

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Three-dimensional structure of Nipah virus nucleocapsid assembly

Nipah virus is a highly pathogenic RNA virus, which, along with the closely related Hendra virus, has the potential to escalate into a pandemic. The figure shows the cryo-electron microscopy structure of a 13-subunit segment of the Nipah nucleocapsid protein assembly with RNA, with the RNA (purple neon) bound in a groove between an inner oligomerisation (pink) and outer exposed (green) domains. This helical ribonucleoprotein assembly serves to safeguard the viral genome by protecting it from degradation and host immune detection, and facilitating the packaging of the viral genome into new virion. Ker et al.

Image Credit: Nair S R, 2021

https://doi.org/10.1371/image.ppat.v17.i07.g001