Structures and Regulations of Respiratory Syncytial Virus RNA Synthesis

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a nonsegmented negative-sense (NNS) RNA virus and a significant cause of respiratory infections, especially in infants and older adults. There is an urgent need to understand the RSV RNA synthesis mechanism and facilitate the development of effective treatments. We have determined the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the RSV polymerase alone and its complex with genomic and antigenomic RNA promoters, as well as the x-ray crystal structure of its regulatory M2-1:RNA complex. Our findings offer critical mechanistic insights into the RNA synthesis mechanism of RSV and other NNS RNA viral polymerases, such as those of rabies (RABV), Nipah (NiV), and Ebola (EBOV).

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