Probing the biophysical interplay between a viral genome and its capsid

The interaction between a viral capsid and its genome governs crucial steps in the life cycle of a virus, such as assembly and genome uncoating. Tuning cargo–capsid interactions is also essential for successful design and cargo delivery in engineered viral systems. Here we investigate the interplay between cargo and capsid for the picorna-like Triatoma virus using a combined native mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy approach. We propose a topology and assembly model in which heterotrimeric pentons that consist of five copies of structural proteins VP1, VP2 and VP3 are the free principal units of assembly. The interpenton contacts are established primarily by VP2. The dual role of the genome is first to stabilize the densely packed virion and, on an increase in pH, second to trigger uncoating by relaxing the stabilizing interactions with the capsid. Uncoating occurs through a labile intermediate state of the virion that reversibly disassembles into pentons with the concomitant release of protein VP4.Fil: Snijder, J.. Netherlands Proteomics Centre; Países Bajos. Utrecht Univeristy; Países Bajos. Vrije Universiteit; Países BajosFil: Uetrecht, C.. Netherlands Proteomics Centre; Países Bajos. Utrecht Univeristy; Países BajosFil: Rose, R. J.. Netherlands Proteomics Centre; Países Bajos. Utrecht Univeristy; Países BajosFil: Sanchez Eugenia, R.. Universidad del Pais Vasco; EspañaFil: Marti, Gerardo Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Agirre, J.. Universidad del Pais Vasco; España. Fundación Biofisica Bizkaia; EspañaFil: Guérin, D. M. A.. Universidad del Pais Vasco; España. Fundación Biofisica Bizkaia; EspañaFil: Wuite, G. J. L.. Vrije Universiteit; Países BajosFil: Heck, A. Netherlands Proteomics Centre; Países Bajos. Utrecht Univeristy; Países BajosFil: Roos, W. H.. Vrije Universiteit; Países Bajo

Interactions of Water Quality and Integrated Groundwater Management: Examples from the United States and Europe

Groundwater is available in many parts of the world, but the quality of the water may limit its use. Contaminants can limit the use of groundwater through concerns associated with human health, aquatic health, economic costs, or even societal perception. Given this broad range of concerns, this chapter focuses on examples of how water quality issues influence integrated groundwater management. One example evaluates the importance of a naturally occurring contaminant Arsenic (As) for drinking water supply, one explores issues resulting from agricultural activities on the land surface and factors that influence related groundwater management, and the last examines unique issues that result from human-introduced viral pathogens for groundwater-derived drinking water vulnerability. The examples underscore how integrated groundwater management lies at the intersections of environmental characterization, engineering constraints, societal needs, and human perception of acceptable water quality. As such, water quality factors can be a key driver for societal decision making