Term Name: | virus-like capsid |
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Synonyms: | virus-like particle |
Definition: | A protein coat that surrounds nucleic acid to form a structure similar to a virus capsid. Virus-like capsids are non-infectious and are encoded by endogenous (non-viral) genes. Fly and tetrapod Arc (ancestrally-related to retrotransposon Gag) are examples of proteins that can self-assemble into capsid-like structures which encapsulate Arc mRNA and mediate the intercellular transmission of RNA. |
Ontology: | GO: Cellular Component [GO:0170047] QuickGO AmiGO |