Extensive subunit contacts underpin herpesvirus capsid stability and interior-to-exterior allostery

The herpesvirus capsid is a complex protein assembly that includes hundreds of copies of four major subunits and lesser numbers of several minor proteins, all essential for infectivity. Cryo-electron microscopy is uniquely suited for studying interactions that govern the assembly and function of such large and functional complexes. Here we report two high quality capsid structures, from human herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and the animal pseudorabies virus (PRV), imaged inside intact virions at ~7 Å resolution. From these we developed a complete model of subunit and domainal organization and identified extensive networks of subunit contacts that underpin capsid stability and form a pathway that may signal the completion of DNA packaging from the capsid interior to outer surface for initiating nuclear egress. Differences in folding and orientation of subunit domains between herpesvirus capsids suggest that common elements have been modified for specific functions.