STRUCTURE, FUNCTION PACKAGING SIGNALS AND SPECIFICITY OF THE DNA IN DOUBLE-STRANDED DNA VIRUSES

The selective packaging of viral DNA into a capsid raises a number of interesting questions. How is the viral DNA specifically selected from the pool of viral and host DNA for packaging? What protein/protein and protein/DNA interactions are involved in this process? Lastly, is the packaging process coordinated with one or more aspects of DNA replication and/or genome maturation? The focus of this review will be on the specific cis-acting elements that direct the selective encapsidation of different prokaryotic and eukaryotic double-stranded viral DNAs. We will focus on prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems that have been analyzed in detail and that have not been reviewed recently in the literature. © 1994 Academic Press. All rights reserved.