Rodrigues-Machado, C. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

A single methylation site regulates HRSV nucleocapsid architecture and replication

The nucleoprotein N of the human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) encases the viral genome, forming a flexible N-RNA nucleocapsid helix that serves as template for the viral polymerase L. Recent structural analysis revealed a non-canonical helical nucleocapsid arrangement that modulates RNA accessibility, yet its impact on polymerase function remains unknown. Here, we identified symmetric dimethylation of residue R27 of N as a critical modulator of nucleocapsid architecture and viral replication. We also showed that the methylase PRMT5 interacts with N and likely catalyses R27 methylation. Molecular dynamics simulations of RNA-free N dimers indicate that R27 methylation enhances opening and closing of the RNA-binding cavity, whereas a methylation-mimicking R27M substitution favours a closed state. Cryo-electron microscopy reveals a canonical, markedly straight R27M helix with increased rise and pitch. These findings demonstrate that post-translational modifications fine-tune interactions between N protomers, shaping nucleocapsid assembly, structure and dynamics, and thereby controlling HRSV replication.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

CDKN1A (p21Cip/Waf1) stabilizes Cyclin D3 by inhibiting its phosphorylation-dependent nuclear export following butyrate treatment

Butyrate-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation is part of the preventive role of dietary fiber against colorectal cancer (CRC). This effect notably involves the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1A (p21Cip/Waf1) in human intestinal cells, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Previously, we observed a paradoxical increase in cyclin D3 (CCND3)--but not cyclin D1--levels upon butyrate exposure. Here, we demonstrate that the butyrate-induced accumulation of CCND3 protein results both from mRNA increase and a CDKN1A-dependent protein stabilization, specifically extending its nuclear half-life. Proteomic analyses of CCND3 co-immunoprecipitates identified complexes involving CDKN1A, CDK4, CDK6, and the CRC-associated kinase CDK5, particularly enriched in butyrate-treated cells. Phosphorylation at a conserved Thr residue, crucial for CCND nuclear export and subsequent proteasomal degradation, was notably reduced following butyrate treatment and inversely correlated with CDKN1A expression levels. Structural modeling based on AlphaFold2, complemented by molecular dynamics simulations, revealed possible differential interactions between CDKN1A and cyclins D1 and D3, predicting that CCND3-Thr283 becomes structurally buried upon CDKN1A binding, limiting its phosphorylation. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into how CDKN1A might regulate CCND3 stability, highlighting previously unexplored roles of cyclin D3-containing complexes in cell cycle arrest induced by butyrate.

cell biology↗