Nucleoprotein

File:178-EbolaVirusProteins EbolaProteins.png particle, with structures of the major proteins shown and labelled on the right]]

Nucleoproteins tend to be positively charged, facilitating interaction with the negatively charged nucleic acid chains. The tertiary structures and biological functions of many nucleoproteins are understood.Graeme K. Hunter G. K. (2000): Vital Forces. The discovery of the molecular basis of life. Academic Press, London 2000, {{ISBN|0-12-361811-8}}.Nelson D. L., Cox M. M. (2013): Lehninger Biochemie. Springer, {{ISBN|978-3-540-68637-8}}. Important techniques for determining the structures of nucleoproteins include X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and cryo-electron microscopy.

Virus genomes (either DNA or RNA) are extremely tightly packed into the viral capsid.{{Cite journal|last1=Tzlil|first1=Shelly|last2=Kindt|first2=James T.|last3=Gelbart|first3=William M.|last4=Ben-Shaul|first4=Avinoam|title=Forces and Pressures in DNA Packaging and Release from Viral Capsids|journal=Biophysical Journal|volume=84|issue=3|pages=1616–1627|doi=10.1016/s0006-3495(03)74971-6|pmid=12609865|pmc=1302732|date=March 2003|bibcode=2003BpJ....84.1616T}}{{Cite journal|last1=Purohit|first1=Prashant K.|last2=Inamdar|first2=Mandar M.|last3=Grayson|first3=Paul D.|last4=Squires|first4=Todd M.|last5=Kondev|first5=Jané|last6=Phillips|first6=Rob|title=Forces during Bacteriophage DNA Packaging and Ejection|journal=Biophysical Journal|volume=88|issue=2|pages=851–866|doi=10.1529/biophysj.104.047134|pmid=15556983|pmc=1305160|year=2005|arxiv=q-bio/0406022|bibcode=2005BpJ....88..851P}} Many viruses are therefore little more than an organised collection of nucleoproteins with their binding sites pointing inwards. Structurally characterised viral nucleoproteins include influenza,{{Cite journal|last1=Ng|first1=Andy Ka-Leung|last2=Wang|first2=Jia-Huai|last3=Shaw|first3=Pang-Chui|date=2009-05-27|title=Structure and sequence analysis of influenza A virus nucleoprotein|journal=Science in China Series C: Life Sciences|language=en|volume=52|issue=5|pages=439–449|doi=10.1007/s11427-009-0064-x|pmid=19471866|s2cid=610062|issn=1006-9305}} rabies,{{Cite journal|last1=Albertini|first1=Aurélie A. V.|last2=Wernimont|first2=Amy K.|last3=Muziol|first3=Tadeusz|last4=Ravelli|first4=Raimond B. G.|last5=Clapier|first5=Cedric R.|last6=Schoehn|first6=Guy|last7=Weissenhorn|first7=Winfried|last8=Ruigrok|first8=Rob W. H.|date=2006-07-21|title=Crystal Structure of the Rabies Virus Nucleoprotein-RNA Complex|journal=Science|language=en|volume=313|issue=5785|pages=360–363|doi=10.1126/science.1125280|issn=0036-8075|pmid=16778023|bibcode=2006Sci...313..360A|s2cid=29937744|doi-access=free}} Ebola, Bunyamwera,{{Cite journal|last1=Ariza|first1=A.|last2=Tanner|first2=S. J.|last3=Walter|first3=C. T.|last4=Dent|first4=K. C.|last5=Shepherd|first5=D. A.|last6=Wu|first6=W.|last7=Matthews|first7=S. V.|last8=Hiscox|first8=J. A.|last9=Green|first9=T. J.|date=2013-06-01|title=Nucleocapsid protein structures from orthobunyaviruses reveal insight into ribonucleoprotein architecture and RNA polymerization|journal=Nucleic Acids Research|volume=41|issue=11|pages=5912–5926|doi=10.1093/nar/gkt268|issn=0305-1048|pmc=3675483|pmid=23595147}} Schmallenberg, Hazara,{{Cite journal|last1=Surtees|first1=Rebecca|last2=Ariza|first2=Antonio|last3=Punch|first3=Emma K.|last4=Trinh|first4=Chi H.|last5=Dowall|first5=Stuart D.|last6=Hewson|first6=Roger|last7=Hiscox|first7=Julian A.|last8=Barr|first8=John N.|last9=Edwards|first9=Thomas A.|date=2015-01-01|title=The crystal structure of the Hazara virus nucleocapsid protein|journal=BMC Structural Biology|volume=15|pages=24|doi=10.1186/s12900-015-0051-3|issn=1472-6807|pmc=4696240|pmid=26715309 |doi-access=free }} Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever,{{Cite journal|last1=Carter|first1=Stephen D.|last2=Surtees|first2=Rebecca|last3=Walter|first3=Cheryl T.|last4=Ariza|first4=Antonio|last5=Bergeron|first5=Éric|last6=Nichol|first6=Stuart T.|last7=Hiscox|first7=Julian A.|last8=Edwards|first8=Thomas A.|last9=Barr|first9=John N.|date=2012-10-15|title=Structure, Function, and Evolution of the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Nucleocapsid Protein|journal=Journal of Virology|language=en|volume=86|issue=20|pages=10914–10923|doi=10.1128/JVI.01555-12|issn=0022-538X|pmc=3457148|pmid=22875964}} and Lassa.{{Cite journal|last1=Qi|first1=Xiaoxuan|last2=Lan|first2=Shuiyun|last3=Wang|first3=Wenjian|last4=Schelde|first4=Lisa McLay|last5=Dong|first5=Haohao|last6=Wallat|first6=Gregor D.|last7=Ly|first7=Hinh|last8=Liang|first8=Yuying|last9=Dong|first9=Changjiang|title=Cap binding and immune evasion revealed by Lassa nucleoprotein structure|journal=Nature|volume=468|issue=7325|pages=779–783|doi=10.1038/nature09605|pmc=3057469|pmid=21085117|year=2010|bibcode=2010Natur.468..779Q}}

A deoxyribonucleoprotein (DNP) is a complex of DNA and protein.{{MeshName|Deoxyribonucleoproteins}} The prototypical examples are nucleosomes, complexes in which genomic DNA is wrapped around clusters of eight histone proteins in eukaryotic cell nuclei to form chromatin. Protamines replace histones during spermatogenesis.

The most widespread deoxyribonucleoproteins are nucleosomes, in which the component is nuclear DNA. The proteins combined with DNA are histones and protamines; the resulting nucleoproteins are located in chromosomes. Thus, the entire chromosome, i.e. chromatin in eukaryotes consists of such nucleoproteins.Nelson D. L., Michael M. Cox M. M. (2013): Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. W. H. Freeman, {{ISBN|978-1-4641-0962-1}}.

In eukaryotic cells, DNA is associated with about an equal mass of histone proteins in a highly condensed nucleoprotein complex called chromatin.{{Cite book|title=Molecular Cell Biology|last=Lodish|first=Harvey}} Deoxyribonucleoproteins in this kind of complex interact to generate a multiprotein regulatory complex in which the intervening DNA is looped or wound. The deoxyribonucleoproteins participate in regulating DNA replication and transcription.{{Cite journal|last=Echols|first=Harrison|date=1990|title=Nucleoprotein structures initiating DNA replication, transcription, and site-specific recombination|journal=The Journal of Biological Chemistry|volume=265|issue=25|pages=14697–700|doi=10.1016/S0021-9258(18)77163-9|pmid=2203758|doi-access=free}}

Deoxyribonucleoproteins are also involved in homologous recombination, a process for repairing DNA that appears to be nearly universal. A central intermediate step in this process is the interaction of multiple copies of a recombinase protein with single-stranded DNA to form a DNP filament. Recombinases employed in this process are produced by archaea (RadA recombinase),{{cite journal|vauthors=Seitz EM, Brockman JP, Sandler SJ, Clark AJ, Kowalczykowski SC|year=1998|title=RadA protein is an archaeal RecA protein homolog that catalyzes DNA strand exchange|journal=Genes Dev.|volume=12|issue=9|pages=1248–53|doi=10.1101/gad.12.9.1248|pmc=316774|pmid=9573041}} by bacteria (RecA recombinase){{cite journal|vauthors=Cox MM, Goodman MF, Kreuzer KN, Sherratt DJ, Sandler SJ, Marians KJ|year=2000|title=The importance of repairing stalled replication forks|journal=Nature|volume=404|issue=6773|pages=37–41|doi=10.1038/35003501|pmid=10716434|bibcode=2000Natur.404...37C|s2cid=4427794}} and by eukaryotes from yeast to humans (Rad51 and Dmc1 recombinases).{{cite journal|vauthors=Crickard JB, Kaniecki K, Kwon Y, Sung P, Greene EC|year=2018|title=Spontaneous self-segregation of Rad51 and Dmc1 DNA recombinases within mixed recombinase filaments|journal=J. Biol. Chem.|volume=293|issue=11|pages=4191–4200|doi=10.1074/jbc.RA117.001143|pmid=29382724|pmc=5858004|doi-access=free}}

{{Main|Heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein particle}}

{{See also|RNP world}}

File:A-Ribonucleoprotein-Complex-Protects-the-Interleukin-6-mRNA-from-Degradation-by-Distinct-ppat.1004899.s011.ogv with DNA stained blue, and nucleolin protein in red. The nucleolin protein binds some mRNAs (e.g. mRNA for Interleukin-6). This protects those mRNAs from degradation by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus when infected. This RNA-nucleolin complex is then safely transported to the cytosol for translation by ribosomes to produce the Interleukin-6 protein, which is involved in antiviral immune response.{{Cite journal|last1=Muller|first1=Mandy|last2=Hutin|first2=Stephanie|last3=Marigold|first3=Oliver|last4=Li|first4=Kathy H.|last5=Burlingame|first5=Al|last6=Glaunsinger|first6=Britt A.|date=2015-05-12|title=A Ribonucleoprotein Complex Protects the Interleukin-6 mRNA from Degradation by Distinct Herpesviral Endonucleases|journal=PLOS Pathogens|volume=11|issue=5|pages=e1004899|doi=10.1371/journal.ppat.1004899|issn=1553-7366|pmc=4428876|pmid=25965334 |doi-access=free }}]]A ribonucleoprotein (RNP) is a complex of ribonucleic acid and RNA-binding protein. These complexes play an integral part in a number of important biological functions that include transcription, translation and regulating gene expression{{Cite journal|last1=Hogan|first1=Daniel J|last2=Riordan|first2=Daniel P|last3=Gerber|first3=André P|last4=Herschlag|first4=Daniel|last5=Brown|first5=Patrick O|date=2016-11-07|title=Diverse RNA-Binding Proteins Interact with Functionally Related Sets of RNAs, Suggesting an Extensive Regulatory System|journal=PLOS Biology|volume=6|issue=10|pages=e255|doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0060255|issn=1544-9173|pmc=2573929|pmid=18959479 |doi-access=free }} and regulating the metabolism of RNA.{{Cite journal|last1=Lukong|first1=Kiven E.|last2=Chang|first2=Kai-wei|last3=Khandjian|first3=Edouard W.|last4=Richard|first4=Stéphane|date=2008-08-01|title=RNA-binding proteins in human genetic disease|journal=Trends in Genetics|volume=24|issue=8|pages=416–425|doi=10.1016/j.tig.2008.05.004|issn=0168-9525|pmid=18597886}} A few examples of RNPs include the ribosome, the enzyme telomerase, vault ribonucleoproteins, RNase P, hnRNP and small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs), which have been implicated in pre-mRNA splicing (spliceosome) and are among the main components of the nucleolus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uniprot.org/keywords/KW-0687|title=Ribonucleoprotein|website=www.uniprot.org|access-date=2016-11-07}} Some viruses are simple ribonucleoproteins, containing only one molecule of RNA and a number of identical protein molecules. Others are ribonucleoprotein or deoxyribonucleoprotein complexes containing a number of different proteins, and exceptionally more nucleic acid molecules.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} Currently, over 2000 RNPs can be found in the RCSB Protein Data Bank (PDB).{{Cite journal|last=Bank|first=RCSB Protein Data|title=RCSB Protein Data Bank - RCSB PDB|url=http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/home/home.do|access-date=2018-04-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418160606/http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/home/home.do|archive-date=2015-04-18|url-status=dead}} Furthermore, the Protein-RNA Interface Data Base (PRIDB) possesses a collection of information on RNA-protein interfaces based on data drawn from the PDB.{{Cite journal|last1=Lewis|first1=Benjamin A.|last2=Walia|first2=Rasna R.|last3=Terribilini|first3=Michael|last4=Ferguson|first4=Jeff|last5=Zheng|first5=Charles|last6=Honavar|first6=Vasant|last7=Dobbs|first7=Drena|date=2016-11-07|title=PRIDB: a protein–RNA interface database|journal=Nucleic Acids Research|volume=39|issue=Database issue|pages=D277–D282|doi=10.1093/nar/gkq1108|issn=0305-1048|pmc=3013700|pmid=21071426}} Some common features of protein-RNA interfaces were deduced based on known structures. For example, RNP in snRNPs have an RNA-binding motif in its RNA-binding protein. Aromatic amino acid residues in this motif result in stacking interactions with RNA. Lysine residues in the helical portion of RNA-binding proteins help to stabilize interactions with nucleic acids. This nucleic acid binding is strengthened by electrostatic attraction between the positive lysine side chains and the negative nucleic acid phosphate backbones. Additionally, it is possible to model RNPs computationally.{{Cite journal|last1=Tuszynska|first1=Irina|last2=Matelska|first2=Dorota|last3=Magnus|first3=Marcin|last4=Chojnowski|first4=Grzegorz|last5=Kasprzak|first5=Joanna M.|last6=Kozlowski|first6=Lukasz P.|last7=Dunin-Horkawicz|first7=Stanislaw|last8=Bujnicki|first8=Janusz M.|date=2014-02-01|title=Computational modeling of protein-RNA complex structures|journal=Methods|volume=65|issue=3|pages=310–319|doi=10.1016/j.ymeth.2013.09.014|issn=1095-9130|pmid=24083976|s2cid=37061678 }} Although computational methods of deducing RNP structures are less accurate than experimental methods, they provide a rough model of the structure which allows for predictions of the identity of significant amino acids and nucleotide residues. Such information helps in understanding the overall function the RNP.File:Apical-Transport-of-Influenza-A-Virus-Ribonucleoprotein-Requires-Rab11-positive-Recycling-Endosome-pone.0021123.s011.ogv proteins, stained white, hijack active transport via the endosomes to move more rapidly within the cell than by simple diffusion.{{Cite journal|last1=Momose|first1=Fumitaka|last2=Sekimoto|first2=Tetsuya|last3=Ohkura|first3=Takashi|last4=Jo|first4=Shuichi|last5=Kawaguchi|first5=Atsushi|last6=Nagata|first6=Kyosuke|last7=Morikawa|first7=Yuko|date=2011-06-22|title=Apical Transport of Influenza A Virus Ribonucleoprotein Requires Rab11-positive Recycling Endosome|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=6|issue=6|pages=e21123|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0021123|issn=1932-6203|pmc=3120830|pmid=21731653|bibcode=2011PLoSO...621123M|doi-access=free}}]]'RNP' can also refer to ribonucleoprotein particles. Ribonucleoprotein particles are distinct intracellular foci for post-transcriptional regulation. These particles play an important role in influenza A virus replication.{{Cite journal|last1=Baudin|first1=F|last2=Bach|first2=C|last3=Cusack|first3=S|last4=Ruigrok|first4=R W|date=1994-07-01|title=Structure of influenza virus RNP. I. Influenza virus nucleoprotein melts secondary structure in panhandle RNA and exposes the bases to the solvent.|journal=The EMBO Journal|volume=13|issue=13|pages=3158–3165|issn=0261-4189|pmc=395207|pmid=8039508|doi=10.1002/j.1460-2075.1994.tb06614.x}} The influenza viral genome is composed of eight ribonucleoprotein particles formed by a complex of negative-sense RNA bound to a viral nucleoprotein. Each RNP carries with it an RNA polymerase complex. When the nucleoprotein binds to the viral RNA, it is able to expose the nucleotide bases which allow the viral polymerase to transcribe RNA. At this point, once the virus enters a host cell it will be prepared to begin the process of replication.

Anti-RNP antibodies are autoantibodies associated with mixed connective tissue disease and are also detected in nearly 40% of Lupus erythematosus patients. Two types of anti-RNP antibodies are closely related to Sjögren's syndrome: SS-A (Ro) and SS-B (La). Autoantibodies against snRNP are called Anti-Smith antibodies and are specific for SLE. The presence of a significant level of anti-U1-RNP also serves a possible indicator of MCTD when detected in conjunction with several other factors.{{Cite web|url=http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Mixed_Connective_Tissue_Disease|title=Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) {{!}} Cleveland Clinic|website=my.clevelandclinic.org|access-date=2016-11-07}}

The ribonucleoproteins play a role of protection. mRNAs never occur as free RNA molecules in the cell. They always associate with ribonucleoproteins and function as ribonucleoprotein complexes.

In the same way, the genomes of negative-strand RNA viruses never exist as free RNA molecule. The ribonucleoproteins protect their genomes from RNase.{{Cite journal|title = Nucleoproteins and nucleocapsids of negative-strand RNA viruses|journal = Current Opinion in Microbiology|pages = 504–510|volume = 14|issue = 4|doi = 10.1016/j.mib.2011.07.011|pmid = 21824806|first1 = Rob WH|last1 = Ruigrok|first2 = Thibaut|last2 = Crépin|first3 = Dan|last3 = Kolakofsky|year = 2011}} Nucleoproteins are often the major antigens for viruses because they have strain-specific and group-specific antigenic determinants.

• DNA-binding protein
• RNA-binding protein

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304234021/http://pridb.gdcb.iastate.edu/ PRIDB Protein-RNA Interface Database]

{{RNA-binding proteins}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Proteins