PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jason R. Schrad
AU  - Jônatas S. Abrahão
AU  - Juliana R. Cortines
AU  - Kristin N. Parent
TI  - Boiling Acid Mimics Intracellular Giant Virus Genome Release
AID  - 10.1101/777854
DP  - 2019 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 777854
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/09/20/777854.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/09/20/777854.full
AB  - Since their discovery, giant viruses have expanded our understanding of the principles of virology. Due to their gargantuan size and complexity, little is known about the life cycles of these viruses. To answer outstanding questions regarding giant virus infection mechanisms, we set out to determine biomolecular conditions that promote giant virus genome release. We generated four metastable infection intermediates in Samba virus (lineage A Mimiviridae) as visualized by cryo-EM, cryo-ET, and SEM. Each of these four intermediates reflects a stage that occurs in vivo. We show that these genome release stages are conserved in other, diverse giant viruses. Finally, we identified proteins that are released from Samba and newly discovered Tupanvirus through differential mass spectrometry. Our work revealed the molecular forces that trigger infection are conserved amongst disparate giant viruses. This study is also the first to identify specific proteins released during the initial stages of giant virus infection.SMBVSamba virusTVTupanvirus soda lakeGVGiant virusPOPPercentage of open particlesUPPUbiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway