Crystallographic and molecular biological studies of T = 3 nodaviruses
(180 identical subunits in the particle) and T = 4 tetraviruses (240
identical subunits in the particle) have revealed similarity in both t
he architecture of the particles and the strategy for maturation. The
comparative studies provide a novel opportunity to examine an apparent
evolution of particle size, from smaller (T = 3) to larger (T = 4), w
ith both particles based on similar subunits. The BBV and FHV nodaviru
s structures are refined at 2.8 Angstrom and 3 Angstrom respectively,
while the N omega V structure is at 6 Angstrom, resolution. Neverthele
ss, the detailed comparisons of the noda and tetravirus X-ray electron
density maps show that the same type of switching in subunit twofold
contacts is used in the T = 3 and T = 4 capsids, although differences
must exist between quasi and icosahedral threefold contacts in the T =
4 particle that have not yet been detected. The analyses of primary a
nd tertiary structures of noda and tetraviruses show that N omega V su
bunits undergo a post assembly cleavage like that observed in nodaviru
ses and that the cleaved 76 C-terminal residues remain associated with
the particle.