德国海德堡大学Petr Chlanda等研究人员合作发现，核衣壳组装驱动埃博拉病毒工厂的成熟和分散。2024年12月31日，《细胞》杂志在线发表了这项成果。

研究人员应用原位冷冻相关光学和电子断层扫描技术，跟踪了埃博拉病毒感染过程中核衣壳（NC）组装以及毒工厂（VF）形态和液体特性的变化。研究表明，病毒NC从早期VF中松散包装的螺旋结构转变为紧凑的圆柱形结构，并在感染后期排列成高度有序的平行束。

早期VF与中间纤维结合，并且不含有其他宿主物质，但随着感染的进行，它们逐渐变得可以接触到细胞成分。这些数据表明，这一过程与VF的固化、球形性丧失以及分散有关，并促进了NC暴露于细胞质中，以便于其向出芽部位的运输。

据介绍，许多负链RNA病毒的复制和基因组包装发生在病毒诱导的无膜细胞器中，这些细胞器被称为VF。尽管VF的液体特性被认为控制着从基因组复制到NC组装的过渡，但VF的成熟过程及其与细胞环境的相互作用仍不清楚。

附：英文原文

Title: Nucleocapsid assembly drives Ebola viral factory maturation and dispersion

Author: Melina Vallbracht, Bianca S. Bodmer, Konstantin Fischer, Jana Makroczyova, Sophie L. Winter, Lisa Wendt, Moritz Wachsmuth-Melm, Thomas Hoenen, Petr Chlanda

Issue&Volume: 2024-12-31

Abstract: Replication and genome encapsidation of many negative-sense RNA viruses take place in virus-induced membraneless organelles termed viral factories (VFs). Although liquid properties of VFs are believed to control the transition from genome replication to nucleocapsid (NC) assembly, VF maturation and interactions with the cellular environment remain elusive. Here, we apply in situ cryo-correlative light and electron tomography to follow NC assembly and changes in VF morphology and their liquid properties during Ebola virus infection. We show that viral NCs transition from loosely packed helical assemblies in early VFs to compact cylinders that arrange into highly organized parallel bundles later in infection. Early VFs associate with intermediate filaments and are devoid of other host material but become progressively accessible to cellular components. Our data suggest that this process is coupled to VF solidification, loss of sphericity, and dispersion and promotes cytoplasmic exposure of NCs to facilitate their transport to budding sites.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.11.024

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(24)01340-0