Electron cryotomography of SARS-CoV-2 virions reveals cylinder-shaped particles with a double layer RNP assembly.

Lesley J Calder Thomas Calcraft Saira HussainRuth HarveyPeter B Rosenthal

Published in: Communications biology (2022)

SARS-CoV-2 is a lipid-enveloped Betacoronavirus and cause of the Covid-19 pandemic. To study the three-dimensional architecture of the virus, we perform electron cryotomography (cryo-ET) on SARS-Cov-2 virions and three variants revealing particles of regular cylindrical morphology. The ribonucleoprotein particles packaging the genome in the virion interior form a dense, double layer assembly with a cylindrical shape related to the overall particle morphology. This organisation suggests structural interactions important to virus assembly.

Keyphrases

sars cov
respiratory syndrome coronavirus
electron microscopy
high resolution
copy number
solar cells
fatty acid
gene expression