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This content will become publicly available on December 1, 2025

Title: Impact of Ebola virus nucleoprotein on VP40 virus-like particle production: a computational approach
Ebola virus (EBOV) matrix protein VP40 can assemble and bud as virus-like particles (VLPs) when expressed alone in mammalian cells. Nucleoprotein (NP) could be recruited to VLPs as inclusion body (IB) when co-expressed, and increase VLP production. However, the mechanism behind it remains unclear. Here, we use a computational approach to study NP-VP40 interactions. Our simulations indicate that NP may enhance VLP production through stabilizing VP40 filaments and accelerating the VLP budding step. Further, both the relative timing and amount of NP expression compared to VP40 are important for the effective production of IB-containing VLPs. We predict that relative NP/VP40 expression ratio and time are important for efficient production of IB-containing VLPs. We conclude that disrupting the expression timing and amount of NP and VP40 could provide new avenues to treat EBOV infection. This work provides quantitative insights into EBOV proteins interactions and how virion generation and drug efficacy could be influenced.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2143866
PAR ID:
10560810
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Springer Nature
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Communications Biology
Volume:
7
Issue:
1
ISSN:
2399-3642
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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