Helical reconstruction of VP39 reveals principles for baculovirus nucleocapsid assembly

Baculoviruses are insect-infecting pathogens with wide applications as biological pesticides, in vitro protein production vehicles and gene therapy tools. Its cylindrical nucleocapsid, which encapsulates and protects the circular double-stranded viral DNA encoding proteins for viral replication and entry, is formed by the highly conserved major capsid protein VP39. The mechanism for VP39 assembly remains unknown. We determined a 3.2 [A] electron cryomicroscopy helical reconstruction of an infectious nucleocapsid of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus, revealing how dimers of VP39 assemble into a 14-stranded helical tube. We show that VP39 comprises a unique protein fold conserved across baculoviruses, which includes a Zinc finger domain and a stabilizing intra-dimer sling. Analysis of sample polymorphism revealed that VP39 assembles in several closely-related helical geometries. This VP39 reconstruction reveals general principles for baculoviral nucleocapsid assembly.