Characterization of the Interactions between the Nucleoprotein and the Phosphoprotein of Henipavirus

The Henipavirus genome is encapsidated by the nucleoprotein (N) within a helical nucleocapsid that recruits the polymerase complex via the phosphoprotein (P). In a previous study, we reported that in henipaviruses, the N-terminal domain of the phosphoprotein and the C-terminal domain of the nucleoprotein (NTAIL) are both intrinsically disordered. Here we show that Henipavirus NTAIL domains are also disordered in the context of full-length nucleoproteins. We also report the cloning, purification, and characterization of the C-terminal X domains (PXD) of Henipavirus phosphoproteins. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that NTAIL and PXD form a 1:1 stoichiometric complex that is stable under NaCl concentrations as high as 1 m and has a KD in the μm range. Using far-UV circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance, we show that PXD triggers an increase in the α-helical content of NTAIL. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, we show that PXD has no impact on the chemical environment of a Trp residue introduced at position 527 of the Henipavirus NTAIL domain, thus arguing for the lack of stable contacts between the C termini of NTAIL and PXD. Finally, we present a tentative structural model of the NTAIL-PXD interaction in which a short, order-prone region of NTAIL (α-MoRE; amino acids 473–493) adopts an α-helical conformation and is embedded between helices α2 and α3 of PXD, leading to a relatively small interface dominated by hydrophobic contacts. The present results provide the first detailed experimental characterization of the N-P interaction in henipaviruses and designate the NTAIL-PXD interaction as a valuable target for rational antiviral approaches.