Fig. 6.

Steps involved in EBOV NC assembly. A schematic illustration of the samples described in this study and their assembly properties. Assembly of a virus particle is indicated by the thick arrow. Initial condensation of the NP-RNA complex can be achieved in vitro by removal of the disordered C-terminal, or in cells by coexpression with VP40 (thin arrows). The condensed helix can be converted into a rigid NC-like helix inside VLPs only if all NP, VP24, VP35, and VP40 are expressed. The resulting NC helix is indistinguishable from that in EBOV virions.