Correction for Cadena-nava et al.: Self-assembly of viral capsid protein and RNA molecules of different sizes: Requirement for a specific high protein/RNA mass ratio (J Virol (2012) 86 6 (3318-3326) DOI: 10.1128/JVI.06566-11) Erratum uri icon

abstract

  • Volume 86, no. 6, p. 3318 -3326, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.06566-11. We recently uncovered a systematic error in the calculation of the weights of capsid protein used in the experiments. In all cases, the weights must be divided by a factor of 1.39. Thus, the “magic ratio,” the protein/RNA mass ratio required to completely package the RNA, is 4.3 rather than 6. While this still implies that optimal packaging requires that a super-stoichiometric number of proteins needs to be bound, the number is fewer than that required to neutralize the charge on the N terminus of the protein. The specific extinction coefficient for cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) capsid protein at 280 nm is 1.179 g liter 1 cm 1 . In computing the protein concentration from its UV absorbance, an arithmetic mistake resulted in a multiplicative error of 1.179 2 (i.e., 1.39) in the inferred protein concentration. As a consequence, instead of 6, the “magic ratio” is 6/1.39 (i.e., 4.3), and the following corrections to the text and figures are required. Page 3319, column 2, line 18: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3320, column 1, line 5 from the bottom: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3320, column 2, line 6: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3320, Fig. 2: The numbers identifying the lanes on the top x axis should read as follows. Left panel, “4.3:1,” “3.5:1,” “2.6:1,” “1.3:1,” and “0.6:1,” respectively. Right panel, “4.3:1,” “3.6:1,” “2.9:1,” “2.2:1,” “1.4:1,” and “0.7:1,” respectively. Page 3320, legend to Fig. 2, line 4: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3321, legend to Fig. 3, line 2: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3321, column 1, line 5: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3321, column 1, line 20: “(6/1) 1/10” should read “(4.3/1) 1/14.” Page 3321, column 1, line 21, “10 RNA” should read “14 RNA.” Page 3321, column 2, line 2 from the bottom: “3.6” should read “2.6.” Page 3321, column 2, line 2 from the bottom: “4” should read “2.9.” Page 3322, column 1, line 2: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” Page 3325, column 1, line 32: “6:1” should read “4.3:1.” With this correction of the mass ratio at which packaging is complete, the “magic ratio” corresponds to about 70%25 (i.e., 100/1.39) of the anionic RNA charge being compensated for by the cationic protein N termini, rather than to full charge neutralization. The conclusion that a specific charge ratio plays an essential role in packaging remains valid. Copyright © 2019 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

publication date

  • 2019-01-01