Human bocavirus (HBoV) was recently discovered and classified in the Bocavirus genus (family Parvoviridae, subfamily Parvovirinae) on the basis of genomic similarity to bovine parvovirus and canine minute virus. HBoV has been implicated in respiratory tract infections and gastroenteric disease in children worldwide, yet despite numerous epidemiological reports, there has been limited biochemical and molecular characterization of the virus. Reported here is the three-dimensional structure of recombinant HBoV capsids, assembled from viral protein 2 (VP2), at 7.9-Å resolution as determined by cryo-electron microscopy and image reconstruction. A pseudo-atomic model of HBoV VP2 was derived from sequence alignment analysis and knowledge of the crystal structure of human parvovirus B19 (genus Erythrovirus). Comparison of the HBoV capsid structure to that of parvoviruses from five separate genera demonstrates strong conservation of a ␤-barrel core domain and an ␣-helix, from which emanate several loops of various lengths and conformations, yielding a unique surface topology that differs from the three already described for this family. The highly conserved core is consistent with observations for other single-stranded DNA viruses, and variable surface loops have been shown to confer the host-specific tropism and the diverse antigenic properties of this family.

Cryoelectron microscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction analysis has been used to determine the structure of native and in vitro assembled cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) virions and capsids to 25-A resolution. Purified CCMV coat protein was used in conjunction with in vitro transcribed viral RNAs to assemble RNA 1 only, RNA 2 only, RNA 3/4 only, and empty (RNA lacking) virions. The image reconstructions demonstrate that the in vitro assembled CCMV virions are morphologically indistinguishable from native virions purified from infected plants. The viral RNA (vRNA) is packaged similarly within the different types of virions. The centers of all assembled particles are generally devoid of density and the vRNA packs against the interior surface of the virion shell. The vRNA appears to adopt an ordered conformation at each of the quasi-threefold axes.

The development of modern electron microscopy techniques to visualize the hydrated structures of biological macromolecules has stimulated many new studies, especially with viruses and virus-macromolecule complexes that are too large to study with current x-ray crystallographic methods, Cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) in conjunction with three-dimensional reconstruction procedures is capable of revealing both external and internal features of these structures.

Nudaurelia capensis β virus (NβV) is an RNA virus of the South African Pine Emperor moth, Nudaurelia cytherea capensis (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). The NβV capsid is a T = 4 icosahedron that contains 60T = 240 subunits of the coat protein (Mr = 61,000). A three-dimensional reconstruction of the NβV capsid was previously computed from visions embedded in negative stain suspended over holes in a carbon film. We have re-examined the three-dimensional structure of NβV, using cryo-microscopy to examine the native, unstained structure of the virion and to provide a initial phasing model for high-resolution x-ray crystallographic studiesNβV was purified and prepared for cryo-microscopy as described. Micrographs were recorded ∼1 - 2 μm underfocus at a magnification of 49,000X with a total electron dose of about 1800 e-/nm2.

Bovine papilloma virus type 1 (BPV-1) is a member of the papillomavirus genus, one of two in the Papovaviridae family. Papovaviruses are characterized by similarities in their capsid structure, genetics, biochemical composition and role in the formation of benign and cancerous tumors. The discoveries that the capsid structures of polyoma and simian virus 40 (SV40) (members of the genus polyomavirus) consist of 72 pentameric capsomeres raises the fundamental question of whether or not the capsids of the larger and more complex papilloma viruses have a similar, unexpected arrangement of the capsid subunits. The recent development of cryo-electron microscopy techniques, which facilitate direct visualization of the “native” morphology of biological specimens at moderate resolution (1-4 nm), provides an opportunity to critically examine the structure of BPV-1.The BPV-1 used in this study was originally isolated from a calf in 1965, passaged again in 1986, and stored in 50% glycerin and phosphate buffered saline. Virus was extracted and purified following the protocol of Cowsert et al. (1987): epithelial tissue rich in BPV-1 was mixed with an equal volume of buffer (1M NaCl, 20mM Tris, pH 7.5) and disrupted in a Waring blender. After high speed clarification, the supernatant fraction was mixed with an equal volume of Freon 113 and centrifuged at low speed. Virus from the aqueous phase was pelleted, resuspended in CsCl (ρ=l.33 g/cm3), density banded, pelleted and finally resuspended in 30 mM KCl and 6 mM Tris (pH 7.5) to a protein concentration of ˜3 mg/ml.