Preliminary insights into the non structural protein 3 macro domain of the Mayaro virus by powder diffraction

Abstract

We present preliminary structural results of the non-structural protein 3 (nsP3) macro domain from the Mayaro virus (MAYV), an emerging virus of SouthAmerican tropic regions, by means of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. Indexing of the diffraction patterns indicate a trigonal/hexagonal lattice (a 1/4 61:60-A, c 1/4 94:61-A), analogous to the known lattice of the sequence homologous nsP3 macro domain from the Chikungunia virus (CHIKV), though MAYV must have looser molecular packing: the cell dimensions of MAYV are significantly altered in comparison to CHIKV and the unit cell comprises 6 molecules and 58% solvent. The results are discussed in terms of their methodological and biological importance.