A unique DNA-binding mode of African swine fever virus AP endonuclease

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus (NCLDV) that causes nearly 100% mortality in swine. The development of effective vaccines and drugs against this virus is urgently needed. pA104R, an ASFV-derived histone-like protein, shares sequence and functional similarity with bacterial HU/IHF family members and is essential for viral replication. Herein, we solved the crystal structures of pA104R in its apo state as well as in complex with DNA. Apo-pA104R forms a homodimer and folds into an architecture conserved in bacterial heat-unstable nucleoid proteins/integration host factors (HUs/IHFs). The pA104R-DNA complex structure, however, uncovers that pA104R has a DNA binding pattern distinct from its bacterial homologs, that is, the β-ribbon arms of pA104R stabilize DNA binding by contacting the major groove instead of the minor groove. Mutations of the basic residues at the base region of the β-strand DNA binding region (BDR), rather than those in the β-ribbon arms, completely abolished DNA binding, highlighting the major role of the BDR base in DNA binding. An overall DNA bending angle of 93.8° is observed in crystal packing of the pA104R-DNA complex structure, which is close to the DNA bending angle in the HU-DNA complex. Stilbene derivatives SD1 and SD4 were shown to disrupt the binding between pA104R and DNA and inhibit the replication of ASFV in primary porcine alveolar macrophages. Collectively, these results reveal the structural basis of pA104R binding to DNA highlighting the importance of the pA104R-DNA interaction in the ASFV replication cycle and provide inhibitor leads for ASFV chemotherapy.

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DNA-Binding proteins specified by African swine fever virus

Virology ◽

10.1016/0042-6822(87)90133-4 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 161 (2) ◽

pp. 403-409 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Aida Esteves ◽

Graça Ribeiro ◽

João V. Costa

Keyword(s):

Dna Binding ◽

Binding Proteins ◽

African Swine Fever Virus ◽

African Swine Fever ◽

Dna Binding Proteins ◽

Fever Virus

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DNA-Binding Properties of African Swine Fever Virus pA104R, a Histone-Like Protein Involved in Viral Replication and Transcription

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.02498-16 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 91 (12) ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Gonçalo Frouco ◽

Ferdinando B. Freitas ◽

João Coelho ◽

Alexandre Leitão ◽

Carlos Martins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Replication ◽

Dna Binding ◽

Topoisomerase Ii ◽

African Swine Fever Virus ◽

African Swine Fever ◽

Dna Supercoiling ◽

Fever Virus ◽

Viral Dna ◽

Viral Dna Replication ◽

Replication Sites

ABSTRACT African swine fever virus (ASFV) codes for a putative histone-like protein (pA104R) with extensive sequence homology to bacterial proteins that are implicated in genome replication and packaging. Functional characterization of purified recombinant pA104R revealed that it binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) over a wide range of temperatures, pH values, and salt concentrations and in an ATP-independent manner, with an estimated binding site size of about 14 to 16 nucleotides. Using site-directed mutagenesis, the arginine located in pA104R's DNA-binding domain, at position 69, was found to be relevant for efficient DNA-binding activity. Together, pA104R and ASFV topoisomerase II (pP1192R) display DNA-supercoiling activity, although none of the proteins by themselves do, indicating that the two cooperate in this process. In ASFV-infected cells, A104R transcripts were detected from 2 h postinfection (hpi) onward, reaching a maximum concentration around 16 hpi. pA104R was detected from 12 hpi onward, localizing with viral DNA replication sites and being found exclusively in the Triton-insoluble fraction. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown experiments revealed that pA104R plays a critical role in viral DNA replication and gene expression, with transfected cells showing lower viral progeny numbers (up to a reduction of 82.0%), lower copy numbers of viral genomes (−78.3%), and reduced transcription of a late viral gene (−47.6%). Taken together, our results strongly suggest that pA104R participates in the modulation of viral DNA topology, probably being involved in viral DNA replication, transcription, and packaging, emphasizing that ASFV mutants lacking the A104R gene could be used as a strategy to develop a vaccine against ASFV. IMPORTANCE Recently reintroduced in Europe, African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a fatal disease in domestic pigs, causing high economic losses in affected countries, as no vaccine or treatment is currently available. Remarkably, ASFV is the only known mammalian virus that putatively codes for a histone-like protein (pA104R) that shares extensive sequence homology with bacterial histone-like proteins. In this study, we characterized the DNA-binding properties of pA104R, analyzed the functional importance of two conserved residues, and showed that pA104R and ASFV topoisomerase II cooperate and display DNA-supercoiling activity. Moreover, pA104R is expressed during the late phase of infection and accumulates in viral DNA replication sites, and its downregulation revealed that pA104R is required for viral DNA replication and transcription. These results suggest that pA104R participates in the modulation of viral DNA topology and genome packaging, indicating that A104R deletion mutants may be a good strategy for vaccine development against ASFV.

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African Swine Fever Virus Protein pE296R Is a DNA Repair Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease Required for Virus Growth in Swine Macrophages

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.80.10.4847-4857.2006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 80 (10) ◽

pp. 4847-4857 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Modesto Redrejo-Rodríguez ◽

Ramón García-Escudero ◽

Rafael J. Yáñez-Muñoz ◽

María L. Salas ◽

José Salas

Keyword(s):

Excision Repair ◽

African Swine Fever Virus ◽

African Swine Fever ◽

Fever Virus ◽

Dimensional Structure ◽

Common Mechanism ◽

Virus Protein ◽

Repair System ◽

Ap Endonuclease ◽

Virus Growth

ABSTRACT We show here that the African swine fever virus (ASFV) protein pE296R, predicted to be a class II apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease, possesses endonucleolytic activity specific for AP sites. Biochemical characterization of the purified recombinant enzyme indicated that the Km and catalytic efficiency values for the endonucleolytic reaction are in the range of those reported for Escherichia coli endonuclease IV (endo IV) and human Ape1. In addition to endonuclease activity, the ASFV enzyme has a proofreading 3′→5′ exonuclease activity that is considerably more efficient in the elimination of a mismatch than in that of a correctly paired base. The three-dimensional structure predicted for the pE296R protein underscores the structural similarities between endo IV and the viral protein, supporting a common mechanism for the cleavage reaction. During infection, the protein is expressed at early times and accumulates at later times. The early enzyme is localized in the nucleus and the cytoplasm, while the late protein is found only in the cytoplasm. ASFV carries two other proteins, DNA polymerase X and ligase, that, together with the viral AP endonuclease, could act as a viral base excision repair system to protect the virus genome in the highly oxidative environment of the swine macrophage, the virus host cell. Using an ASFV deletion mutant lacking the E296R gene, we have determined that the viral endonuclease is required for virus growth in macrophages but not in Vero cells. This finding supports the existence of a viral reparative system to maintain virus viability in the infected macrophage.

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