Insight into the three-dimensional structure of maize chlorotic mottle virus revealed by Cryo-EM single particle analysis.

Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) is the only member of the Machlomovirus genus in the family Tombusviridae. Here, we obtained the Cryo-EM structure of MCMV by single particle analysis with most local resolution at approximately 4 A. The Cα backbone was built based on residues with bulky side chains. The resolved C-terminus of the capsid protein subunit and obvious openings at the 2-fold axis demonstrated the compactness of the asymmetric unit, which indicates an important role in the stability of MCMV. The Asp116 residue from each subunit around the 5-fold and 3-fold axes contributed to the negative charges in the centers of the pentamers and hexamers, which might serve as a solid barrier against the leakage of genomic RNA. Finally, the loops most exposed on the surface were analyzed and are proposed to be potential functional sites related to MCMV transmission.