scholarly journals Membrane Fusion Mediated by Baculovirus gp64 Involves Assembly of Stable gp64 Trimers into Multiprotein Aggregates

1998 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
pp. 1155-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Markovic ◽  
Helena Pulyaeva ◽  
Alexander Sokoloff ◽  
Leonid V. Chernomordik

The baculovirus fusogenic activity depends on the low pH conformation of virally-encoded trimeric glycoprotein, gp64. We used two experimental approaches to investigate whether monomers, trimers, and/or higher order oligomers are functionally involved in gp64 fusion machine. First, dithiothreitol (DTT)- based reduction of intersubunit disulfides was found to reversibly inhibit fusion, as assayed by fluorescent probe redistribution between gp64-expressing and target cells (i.e., erythrocytes or Sf9 cells). This inhibition correlates with disappearance of gp64 trimers and appearance of dimers and monomers in SDS-PAGE. Thus, stable (i.e., with intact intersubunit disulfides) gp64 trimers, rather than independent monomers, drive fusion. Second, we established that merger of membranes is preceded by formation of large (greater than 2 MDa), short-lived gp64 complexes. These complexes were stabilized by cell–surface cross-linking and characterized by glycerol density gradient ultracentrifugation. The basic structural unit of the complexes is stable gp64 trimer. Although DTT-destabilized trimers were still capable of assuming the low pH conformation, they failed to form multimeric complexes. The fact that formation of these complexes correlated with fusion in timing, and was dependent on (a) low pH application, (b) stable gp64 trimers, and (c) cell–cell contacts, suggests that such multimeric complexes represent a fusion machine.

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (7) ◽  
pp. 3329-3341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaofei Li ◽  
Gary W. Blissard

ABSTRACT GP64, the major envelope glycoprotein of the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) budded virion, is important for host cell receptor binding and mediates low-pH-triggered membrane fusion during entry by endocytosis. In the current study, we examined the functional role of the AcMNPV GP64 transmembrane (TM) domain by replacing the 23-amino-acid GP64 TM domain with corresponding TM domain sequences from a range of viral and cellular type I membrane proteins, including Orgyia pseudotsugata MNPV (OpMNPV) GP64 and F, thogotovirus GP75, Lymantria dispar MNPV (LdMNPV) F, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) GP41, human CD4 and glycophorin A (GpA), and influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA), and with a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor addition sequence. In transient expression experiments with Sf9 cells, chimeric GP64 proteins containing either a GPI anchor or TM domains from LdMNPV F or HIV-1 GP41 failed to localize to the cell surface and thus appear to be incompatible with either GP64 structure or cell transport. All of the mutant constructs detected at the cell surface mediated hemifusion (outer leaflet merger) upon low-pH treatment, but only those containing TM domains from CD4, GpA, OpMNPV GP64, and thogotovirus GP75 mediated pore formation and complete membrane fusion activity. This supports a model in which partial fusion (hemifusion) proceeds by a mechanism that is independent of the TM domain and the TM domain participates in the enlargement or expansion of fusion pores after hemifusion. GP64 proteins containing heterologous TM domains mediated virion budding with dramatically differing levels of efficiency. In addition, chimeric GP64 proteins containing TM domains from CD4, GpA, HA, and OpMNPV F were incorporated into budded virions but were unable to rescue the infectivity of a gp64 null virus, whereas those with TM domains from OpMNPV GP64 and thogotovirus GP75 rescued infectivity. These results show that in addition to its basic role in membrane anchoring, the GP64 TM domain is critically important for GP64 trafficking, membrane fusion, virion budding, and virus infectivity. These critical functions were replaced only by TM domains from related viral membrane proteins.


2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 844-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yíngyún Caì ◽  
Elena N. Postnikova ◽  
John G. Bernbaum ◽  
Shuǐqìng Yú ◽  
Steven Mazur ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTSimian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV) causes a severe and almost uniformly fatal viral hemorrhagic fever in Asian macaques but is thought to be nonpathogenic for humans. To date, the SHFV life cycle is almost completely uncharacterized on the molecular level. Here, we describe the first steps of the SHFV life cycle. Our experiments indicate that SHFV enters target cells by low-pH-dependent endocytosis. Dynamin inhibitors, chlorpromazine, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, chloroquine, and concanamycin A dramatically reduced SHFV entry efficiency, whereas the macropinocytosis inhibitors EIPA, blebbistatin, and wortmannin and the caveolin-mediated endocytosis inhibitors nystatin and filipin III had no effect. Furthermore, overexpression and knockout study and electron microscopy results indicate that SHFV entry occurs by a dynamin-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis-like pathway. Experiments utilizing latrunculin B, cytochalasin B, and cytochalasin D indicate that SHFV does not hijack the actin polymerization pathway. Treatment of target cells with proteases (proteinase K, papain, α-chymotrypsin, and trypsin) abrogated entry, indicating that the SHFV cell surface receptor is a protein. Phospholipases A2 and D had no effect on SHFV entry. Finally, treatment of cells with antibodies targeting CD163, a cell surface molecule identified as an entry factor for the SHFV-related porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, diminished SHFV replication, identifying CD163 as an important SHFV entry component.IMPORTANCESimian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV) causes highly lethal disease in Asian macaques resembling human illness caused by Ebola or Lassa virus. However, little is known about SHFV's ecology and molecular biology and the mechanism by which it causes disease. The results of this study shed light on how SHFV enters its target cells. Using electron microscopy and inhibitors for various cellular pathways, we demonstrate that SHFV invades cells by low-pH-dependent, actin-independent endocytosis, likely with the help of a cellular surface protein.


2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 2815-2822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Séverine Bär ◽  
Ayato Takada ◽  
Yoshihiro Kawaoka ◽  
Marc Alizon

ABSTRACT Ebola viruses (EboV) are enveloped RNA viruses infecting cells by a pH-dependent process mediated by viral glycoproteins (GP) involving endocytosis of virions and their routing into acidic endosomes. As with well-characterized pH-dependent viral entry proteins, in particular influenza virus hemagglutinin, it is thought that EboV GP require activation by low pH in order to mediate fusion of the viral envelope with the membrane of endosomes. However, it has not yet been possible to confirm the direct role of EboV GP in membrane fusion and the requirement for low-pH activation. It was in particular not possible to induce formation of syncytia by exposing cells expressing EboV GP to acidic medium. Here, we have used an assay based on the induction of a β-galactosidase (lacZ) reporter gene in target cells to detect cytoplasmic exchanges, indicating membrane fusion, with cells expressing EboV GP (Zaire species). Acidic activation of GP-expressing cells was required for efficient fusion with target cells. The direct role of EboV GP in this process is indicated by its inhibition by anti-GP antibodies and by the lack of activity of mutant GP normally expressed at the cell surface but defective for virus entry. Fusion was not observed when target cells underwent acidic treatment, for example, when they were placed in coculture with GP-expressing cells before the activation step. This unexpected feature, possibly related to the nature of the EboV receptor, could explain the impossibility of inducing formation of syncytia among GP-expressing cells.


2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (10) ◽  
pp. 5351-5359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sicong Dong ◽  
Manli Wang ◽  
Zhijuan Qiu ◽  
Fei Deng ◽  
Just M. Vlak ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The budded virus (BV) of the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) infects insect cells and transduces mammalian cells mainly through the endocytosis pathway. However, this study revealed that the treatment of the virus bound to Sf9 cells at low pH could efficiently rescue the infectivity of AcMNPV in the presence of endocytosis pathway inhibitors. A colocalization assay of the major capsid protein VP39 with the early endosome marker EEA1 showed that at low pH, AcMNPV entered Sf9 cells via an endosome-independent pathway. Using a fluorescent probe (R18), we showed that at low pH, the viral nucleocapsid entered Sf9 cells via direct fusion at the cell surface. By using the myosin-specific inhibitor 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) and the microtubule inhibitor nocodazole, the low pH-triggered direct fusion was demonstrated to be dependent on myosin-like proteins and independent of microtubules. The reverse transcription-PCR of the IE1 gene as a marker for viral entry showed that the kinetics of AcMNPV in cells triggered by low pH was similar to that of the normal entry via endocytosis. The low pH-mediated infection assay and VP39 and EEA1 colocalization assay also demonstrated that AcMNPV could efficiently transduce mammalian cells via direct membrane fusion at the cell surface. More importantly, we found that a low-pH trigger could significantly improve the transduction efficiency of AcMNPV in mammalian cells, leading to the potential application of this method when using baculovirus as a vector for heterologous gene expression and for gene therapy.


1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 455-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Marsh ◽  
E Bolzau ◽  
J White ◽  
A Helenius

Semliki Forest virus (SFV)-derived spike glycoprotein rosettes (soluble octameric complexes), virosomes (lipid vesicles with viral spike glycoproteins), and liposomes (protein-free lipid vesicles) have been used to investigate the interaction of subviral particles with BHK-21 cells. Cell surface binding, internalization, degradation, and low pH-dependent membrane fusion were quantitatively determined. Electron microscopy was used to visualize the interactions. Virosomes and rosettes, but not liposomes, bound to cells. Binding occurred preferentially to microvilli and was inhibited by added SFV; it increased with decreasing pH but was, in all cases, less efficient than intact virus. At 37 degrees C the cell surface-bound rosettes and virosomes were internalized via coated pits and coated vesicles. After a lag period of 45 min the protein components of the internalized ligands were degraded and appeared, as acid-soluble activity, in the medium. The uptake of rosettes and virosomes was found to be similar to the adsorptive endocytosis of SFV except that their average residence times on the cell surface were longer. The rosettes and the liposomes did not show low pH-induced membrane fusion activity. The virosomes, however, irrespective of the lipid compositions used, displayed hemolytic activity at mildly acidic pH and were able to fuse with the plasma membrane of cells with an efficiency of 0.25 that observed with intact viruses. Cell-cell fusion activity was not observed with any of the subviral components. The results indicated that subviral components possess some of the entry properties of the intact virus.


2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (17) ◽  
pp. 8584-8595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaofei Li ◽  
Gary W. Blissard

ABSTRACT The GP64 envelope glycoprotein of the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) is a class III viral membrane fusion protein that is triggered by low pH during entry. Unlike most other viral fusion protein trimers, the monomers of GP64 are covalently linked to each other within the trimer by a single intermolecular disulfide bond (Cys24—Cys372). Single or paired alanine substitutions for Cys24 and Cys372 resulted in lower-efficiency transport of GP64 to the cell surface. Surprisingly, these mutated GP64s induced syncytium formation, and normalized fusion activities were approximately 30% of that from wild-type (WT) GP64. Heat treatment (37°C) did not further reduce fusion activity of GP64 constructs with a disrupted intermolecular disulfide bond, suggesting that the GP64 trimers were relatively thermostable in the absence of the intermolecular disulfide bond. In addition, analysis of binding by a conformation-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) suggested that the low-pH-induced refolding of those GP64 constructs was generally similar to that of WT GP64. In addition to its critical role in membrane fusion, GP64 is also necessary for efficient budding. When GP64 constructs containing a disrupted intermolecular disulfide bond (Cys24—Cys372) were displayed at the cell surface at levels comparable to those of WT GP64, virion budding efficiency ranged from approximately 39 to 88%, indicating that the intermolecular disulfide bond is not required for virion budding. However, GP64 proteins with a disrupted intermolecular disulfide could not rescue a GP64-null bacmid. We also examined the 6 conserved intramolecular disulfide bonds using single and paired alanine substitution mutations. None of the GP64 constructs with disrupted intramolecular disulfide bonds were capable of mediating pH-triggered membrane fusion, indicating that the intramolecular disulfide bonds are all necessary for membrane fusion. Thus, while the intramolecular disulfide bonds of GP64 appear to serve critical roles in membrane fusion, the unusual intermolecular disulfide bond was not critical for membrane fusion or virion budding yet appears to play an unknown role in viral infectivity.


Author(s):  
D. James Morré ◽  
Charles E. Bracker ◽  
William J. VanDerWoude

Calcium ions in the concentration range 5-100 mM inhibit auxin-induced cell elongation and wall extensibility of plant stems. Inhibition of wall extensibility requires that the tissue be living; growth inhibition cannot be explained on the basis of cross-linking of carboxyl groups of cell wall uronides by calcium ions. In this study, ultrastructural evidence was sought for an interaction of calcium ions with some component other than the wall at the cell surface of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) hypocotyls.


2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (17) ◽  
pp. 8922-8926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feifei Yin ◽  
Manli Wang ◽  
Ying Tan ◽  
Fei Deng ◽  
Just M. Vlak ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The envelope fusion protein F of Plutella xylostella granulovirus is a computational analogue of the GP64 envelope fusion protein of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). Granulovirus (GV) F proteins were thought to be unable to functionally replace GP64 in the AcMNPV pseudotyping system. In the present study the F protein of Agrotis segetum GV (AgseGV) was identified experimentally as the first functional GP64 analogue from GVs. AgseF can rescue virion propagation and infectivity of gp64-null AcMNPV. The AgseF-pseudotyped AcMNPV also induced syncytium formation as a consequence of low-pH-induced membrane fusion.


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