scholarly journals Cholesterol is required in the exit pathway of Semliki Forest virus.

1993 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
M T Marquardt ◽  
T Phalen ◽  
M Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Virus Production ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis ◽  
Lipid Requirement

The enveloped alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells via a membrane fusion reaction triggered by low pH. For fusion to occur cholesterol is required in the target membrane, as demonstrated both in in vitro fusion assays and in vivo for virus infection of a host cell. In this paper we examine the role of cholesterol in postfusion events in the SFV life cycle. Cholesterol-depleted insect cells were transfected with SFV RNA or infected at very high multiplicities to circumvent the fusion block caused by the absence of cholesterol. Under these conditions, the viral spike proteins were synthesized and transported to the site of p62 cleavage with normal kinetics. Surprisingly, the subsequent exit of virus particles was dramatically slowed compared to cholesterol-containing cells. The inhibition of virus production could be reversed by the addition of cholesterol to depleted cells. In contrast to results with SFV, no cholesterol requirement for virus exit was observed for the production of either the unrelated vesicular stomatitis virus or a cholesterol-independent SFV fusion mutant. Thus, cholesterol was only critical in the exit pathway of viruses that also require cholesterol for fusion. These results demonstrate a specific and unexpected lipid requirement in virus exit, and suggest that in addition to its role in fusion, cholesterol is involved in the assembly or budding of SFV.

scholarly journals Cholesterol is required for infection by Semliki Forest virus.

1991 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Phalen ◽  
M Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Endocytic Pathway ◽  
Hydroxyl Group ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis ◽  
Infection Pathway

Semliki Forest virus (SFV) and many other enveloped animal viruses enter cells by a membrane fusion reaction triggered by the low pH within the endocytic pathway. In vitro, SFV fusion requires cholesterol in the target membrane, but the role of cholesterol in vivo is unknown. In this paper, the infection pathway of SFV was studied in mammalian and inset cells substantially depleted of sterol. Cholesterol-depleted cells were unaltered in their ability to bind, internalize, and acidify virus, but were blocked in SFV fusion and subsequent virus replication. Depleted cells could be infected by the cholesterol-independent vesicular stomatitis virus, which also enters cells via endocytosis and low pH-mediated fusion. The block in SFV infection was specifically reversed by cholesterol but not by cholestenone, which lacks the critical 3 beta-hydroxyl group. Cholesterol thus is central in the infection pathway of SFV, and may act in vivo to modulate infection by SFV and other pathogens.

scholarly journals Furin Processing and Proteolytic Activation of Semliki Forest Virus

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 2981-2989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyong Zhang ◽  
Martin Fugère ◽  
Robert Day ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Secretory Pathway ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Protein Fusion ◽  
Proteolytic Activation ◽  
Control Virus

ABSTRACT The alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells via a low-pH-dependent membrane fusion reaction mediated by the E1 envelope protein. Fusion is regulated by the interaction of E1 with the receptor-binding protein E2. E2 is synthesized as a precursor termed “p62,” which forms a stable heterodimer with E1 and is processed late in the secretory pathway by a cellular furin-like protease. Once processing to E2 occurs, the E1/E2 heterodimer is destabilized so that it is more readily dissociated by exposure to low pH, allowing fusion and infection. We have used FD11 cells, a furin-deficient CHO cell line, to characterize the processing of p62 and its role in the control of virus fusion and infection. p62 was not cleaved in FD11 cells and cleavage was restored in FD11 cell transfectants expressing human furin. Studies of unprocessed virus produced in FD11 cells (wt/p62) demonstrated that the p62 protein was efficiently cleaved by purified furin in vitro, without requiring prior exposure to low pH. wt/p62 virus particles were also processed during their endocytic uptake in furin-containing cells, resulting in more efficient virus infection. wt/p62 virus was compared with mutant L, in which p62 cleavage was blocked by mutation of the furin-recognition motif. wt/p62 and mutant L had similar fusion properties, requiring a much lower pH than control virus to trigger fusion and fusogenic E1 conformational changes. However, the in vivo infectivity of mutant L was more strongly inhibited than that of wt/p62, due to additional effects of the mutation on virus-cell binding.

scholarly journals Role of Untranslated Regions of the Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Gene in Replication and Pathogenicity of Newcastle Disease Virus

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
pp. 5943-5946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongqi Yan ◽  
Subrat N. Rout ◽  
Shin-Hee Kim ◽  
Siba K. Samal
Keyword(s):  
Newcastle Disease Virus ◽  
Disease Virus ◽  
Newcastle Disease ◽  
Untranslated Regions ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
Virus Particles

ABSTRACT To determine the role of untranslated regions (UTRs) in replication and pathogenesis of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), we generated recombinant viruses with deletions in 5′ and 3′ UTRs of the HN mRNA. Deletion of any HN UTR did not noticeably affect in vitro replication of these viruses. However, complete deletion of the 5′ UTR of the HN gene decreased the HN mRNA levels and HN protein contents in virus particles, resulting in attenuation of the virus in chickens. This indicates that the 5′ UTR of HN mRNA plays an important role in replication and pathogenicity of NDV in vivo.

scholarly journals Insertion of EGFP into the replicase gene of Semliki Forest virus results in a novel, genetically stable marker virus

2007 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 1225-1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nele Tamberg ◽  
Valeria Lulla ◽  
Rennos Fragkoudis ◽  
Aleksei Lulla ◽  
John K. Fazakerley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Marker Gene ◽  
Virus Production ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Replicase Gene ◽  
Marker Virus

Alphavirus-based vector and replicon systems have been extensively used experimentally and are likely to be used in human and animal medicine. Whilst marker genes can be inserted easily under the control of a duplicated subgenomic promoter, these constructs are often genetically unstable. Here, a novel alphavirus construct is described in which an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) marker gene is inserted into the virus replicase open reading frame between nsP3 and nsP4, flanked by nsP2 protease-recognition sites. This construct has correct processing of the replicase polyprotein, produces viable virus and expresses detectable EGFP fluorescence upon infection of cultured cells and cells of the mouse brain. In comparison to parental virus, the marker virus has an approximately 1 h delay in virus RNA and infectious virus production. Passage of the marker virus in vitro and in vivo demonstrates good genetic stability. Insertion of different markers into this novel construct has potential for various applications.

scholarly journals Characterization of AcMNPV with a deletion of ac69 gene

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Jianhao Ke ◽  
Jinwen Wang ◽  
Riqiang Deng ◽  
Lin Lin ◽  
Bei Jinlong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spodoptera Frugiperda ◽  
Trichoplusia Ni ◽  
Virus Production ◽  
Viral Infectivity ◽  
Methyltransferase Activity ◽  
Budded Virus

<p>ORF69 (Ac69) of <em>Autographa californica</em> multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (Ac<em>M</em>NPV) is conserved in some baculovirus genomes. Although it has been shown that Ac69 has cap 0-dependent methyltransferase activity and is not required for budded virus production in <em>Spodoptera frugiperda</em> Sf-9 cells, its role in occlusion-derived virus synthesis and virus oral infectivity is not known. This paper describes generation of an <em>ac69</em> knockout Ac<em>M</em>NPV bacmid mutant and analyses of the influence of <em>ac69</em> deletion on the viral infectivity in Sf-9 cells and <em>Trichoplusia ni</em> larvae so as to investigate the role of <em>ac69 in the viral life cycle. Results indicated that ac69</em> deletion has little effect on the production rates and morphogenesis of budded virus and occlusion-derived virus in Sf-9 cells. In addition, animal experiment revealed that the deletion mutant did not affect Ac<em>M</em>NPV infectivity for <em>Trichoplusia ni</em> larvae in LD<sub>50</sub> and LT<sub>50</sub> bioassay when administered orally. These results suggest that <em>ac69</em> may be dispensable for viral infectivity both in vitro and in vivo.</p>

scholarly journals Biochemical Consequences of a Mutation That Controls the Cholesterol Dependence of Semliki Forest Virus Fusion

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 1623-1631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prodyot K. Chatterjee ◽  
Malini Vashishtha ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Single Amino Acid Change ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Alphavirus Infection

ABSTRACT The enveloped alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells via a low-pH-triggered membrane fusion reaction that requires cholesterol and sphingolipid in the target membrane. Cholesterol-depleted insect cells are highly resistant to alphavirus infection and were used to select srf-3, an SFV mutant that is ∼100-fold less cholesterol dependent for infection due to a single amino acid change in the E1 spike subunit, proline 226 to serine. Sensitive lipid-mixing assays here demonstrated that the in vitro fusion of srf-3 and wild-type (wt) virus with cholesterol-containing liposomes had comparable kinetics, activation energies, and sphingolipid dependence. In contrast, srf-3fusion with sterol-free liposomes was significantly more efficient than that of wt virus. Thus, the srf-3 mutation does not affect its general fusion properties with purified lipid bilayers but causes a marked and specific reduction in cholesterol dependence. Upon exposure to low pH, the E1 spike subunit undergoes distinct conformational changes, resulting in the exposure of an acid conformation-specific epitope and formation of an E1 homotrimer. These conformational changes were strongly cholesterol and sphingolipid dependent for wt SFV and strikingly less cholesterol dependent for srf-3. Our results thus demonstrate the functional importance of fusogenic E1 conformational changes in the control of SFV cholesterol dependence.

scholarly journals PEGylation of a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus G Pseudotyped Lentivirus Vector Prevents Inactivation in Serum

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 912-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A. Croyle ◽  
Shellie M. Callahan ◽  
Alberto Auricchio ◽  
Gregg Schumer ◽  
Klause D. Linse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Glycol ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽  
Transduction Efficiency ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Profiles ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis ◽  
Poly Ethylene ◽  
Lentivirus Vectors

ABSTRACT One disadvantage of vesicular stomatitis virus G (VSV-G) pseudotyped lentivirus vectors for clinical application is inactivation of the vector by human serum complement. To prevent this, monomethoxypoly(ethylene) glycol was conjugated to a VSV-G-human immunodeficiency virus vector expressing Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase. The modification did not affect transduction efficiency in vitro and protected the vector from inactivation in complement-active human and mouse sera. Blood from mice dosed intravenously with either the unmodified or the PEGylated virus particles was assayed for active vector by a limiting-dilution assay to evaluate transduction efficiency and for p24, an indicator of the total number of virus particles present. PEGylation extended the circulation half-life of active vector by a factor of 5 and reduced the rate of vector inactivation in the serum by a factor of 1,000. Pharmacokinetic profiles for the total number of virus particles present in the circulation were unaffected by PEGylation. Modification of the vector with poly(ethylene) glycol significantly enhanced transduction efficiency in the bone marrow and in the spleen 14 days after systemic administration of the virus. These results, in concert with the pharmacokinetic profiles, indicate that PEGylation does protect the virus from inactivation in the serum and, as a result, improves the transduction efficiency of VSV-G pseudotyped lentivirus vectors in susceptible organs in vivo.

scholarly journals Maintenance of Dimer Conformation by the Dengue Virus Core Protein α4-α4′ Helix Pair Is Critical for Nucleocapsid Formation and Virus Production

2014 ◽  
Vol 88 (14) ◽  
pp. 7998-8015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pak-Guan Teoh ◽  
Zhi-Shun Huang ◽  
Wen-Li Pong ◽  
Po-Chiang Chen ◽  
Huey-Nan Wu
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Core Protein ◽  
Virus Production ◽  
Hydrophobic Surface ◽  
Pair Interaction ◽  
Virus Core ◽  
Virion Production

ABSTRACTThe virion of dengue virus (DENV) is composed of a viral envelope covering a nucleocapsid formed by a complex of viral genomic RNA and core protein (CP). DENV CP forms a dimer via the internal α2 and α4 helices of each monomer. Pairing of α2-α2′ creates a continuous hydrophobic surface, while the α4-α4′ helix pair joins the homodimer via side-chain interactions of the inner-edge residues. However, the importance of dimer conformation and the α4 helix of DENV CP in relation to its function are poorly understood. Loss of association between CP and lipid droplets (LDs) due to mutation suggests that the CP hydrophobic surface was not exposed, offering a possible explanation for the absence of dimers. Further assays suggest the connection between CP folding and protein stability. Attenuation of full-length RNA-derived virus production is associated with CP mutation, since no significant defects were detected in virus translation and replication. Thein vitrocharacterization assays further highlighted that the α4-α4′ helix pair conformation is critical in preserving the overall α-helical content, thermostability, and dimer formation ability of CP, features correlated with the efficiency of nucleocapsid formation. Addition of Tween 20 improvesin vitronucleocapsid-like particle formation, suggesting the role of the LD in nucleocapsid formationin vivo. This study provides the first direct link between the α4-α4′ helix pair interaction and the CP dimer conformation that is the basis of CP function, particularly in nucleocapsid formation during virion production.IMPORTANCEStructure-based mutagenesis study of the dengue virus core protein (CP) reveals that the α4-α4′ helix pair is the key to maintaining its dimer conformation, which is the basis of CP function in nucleocapsid formation and virus production. Attenuation of full-length RNA-derived virus production is associated with CP mutation, since no significant defects in virus translation and replication were detected.In vitroinefficiency and size of nucleocapsid-like particle (NLP) formation offer a possible explanation forin vivovirus production inefficiency upon CP mutation. Further, the transition of NLP morphology from an incomplete state to an intact particle shown by α4-α4′ helix pair mutants in the presence of a nonionic detergent suggests the regulatory role of the intracellular lipid droplet (LD) in CP-LD interaction and in promoting nucleocapsid formation. This study provides the first direct link between the α4-α4′ helix pair interaction and CP dimer conformation that is the fundamental requirement of CP function, particularly in nucleocapsid formation during virion production.

scholarly journals Molecular Dissection of the Semliki Forest Virus Homotrimer Reveals Two Functionally Distinct Regions of the Fusion Protein

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 1194-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don L. Gibbons ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Fusion Peptide ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Harsh Conditions

ABSTRACT Semliki Forest virus (SFV) is an enveloped alphavirus that infects cells via a membrane fusion reaction triggered by the acidic pH of endosomes. In response to low pH, the E1 proteins on the virus membrane undergo a series of conformational changes, resulting in the formation of a stable E1 homotrimer. Little is known about the structural basis of either the E1 conformational changes or the resulting homotrimer or about the mechanism of action of the homotrimer in fusion. Here, the E1 homotrimer was formed in vitro from either virus or soluble E1 ectodomain and then probed by various perturbants, proteases, or glycosidase. The preformed homotrimer was extremely stable to moderately harsh conditions and proteases. By contrast, mild reducing conditions selectively disrupted the N-terminal region of trimeric E1, making it accessible to proteolytic cleavage and producing E1 fragments that retained trimer interactions. Trypsin digestion produced a fragment missing a portion of the N terminus just proximal to the putative fusion peptide. Digestion with elastase produced several fragments with cleavage sites between residues 78 and 102, resulting in the loss of the putative fusion peptide and the release of membrane-bound E1 ectodomain as a soluble trimer. Elastase also cleaved the homotrimer within an E1 loop located near the fusion peptide in the native E1 structure. Mass spectrometry was used to map the C termini of several differentially produced and fully functional E1 ectodomains. Together, our data identify two separate regions of the SFV E1 ectodomain, one responsible for target membrane association and one necessary for trimer interactions.

The Role of Polyphenols in the Modulation of Plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC)

2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Serafini ◽  
Giuseppa Morabito
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
The Body ◽  
Dietary Polyphenols ◽  
Enzymatic Antioxidant ◽  
Endogenous Antioxidant

Dietary polyphenols have been shown to scavenge free radicals, modulating cellular redox transcription factors in different in vitro and ex vivo models. Dietary intervention studies have shown that consumption of plant foods modulates plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC), a biomarker of the endogenous antioxidant network, in human subjects. However, the identification of the molecules responsible for this effect are yet to be obtained and evidences of an antioxidant in vivo action of polyphenols are conflicting. There is a clear discrepancy between polyphenols (PP) concentration in body fluids and the extent of increase of plasma NEAC. The low degree of absorption and the extensive metabolism of PP within the body have raised questions about their contribution to the endogenous antioxidant network. This work will discuss the role of polyphenols from galenic preparation, food extracts, and selected dietary sources as modulators of plasma NEAC in humans.

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