Filoviruses, such as Ebola and Marburg viruses, form filamentous virions containing a helical nucleocapsid that is essential for replication and virion assembly. This complex consists of viral genomic RNA tightly encapsidated by nucleoprotein (NP) and associated with viral proteins (VP), VP24, VP35, VP30, and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L). Despite its essential role, the mechanisms of nucleocapsid assembly and regulation remain poorly understood.
In this talk, I will present our cryo-EM studies on filovirus NP–RNA complexes, which reveal conserved modes of NP oligomerization and RNA encapsidation. I will also discuss recent structural insights into Ebola virus nucleocapsids within virus-like particles, highlighting distinct regulatory roles of two VP24 molecules adopting distinct orientations.
​ Our findings provide a framework for understanding filovirus nucleocapsid architecture and offer potential targets for antiviral development.

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