scholarly journals The Essential Human Cytomegalovirus Proteins pUL77 and pUL93 Are Structural Components Necessary for Viral Genome Encapsidation

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (13) ◽  
pp. 5860-5875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Maria Borst ◽  
Rudolf Bauerfeind ◽  
Anne Binz ◽  
Thomas Min Stephan ◽  
Sebastian Neuber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Start Codon ◽  
Nuclear Targeting ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Genome Encapsidation ◽  
Insight Into

ABSTRACTSeveral essential viral proteins are proposed to participate in genome encapsidation of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), among them pUL77 and pUL93, which remain largely uncharacterized. To gain insight into their properties, we generated an HCMV mutant expressing a pUL77-monomeric enhanced green fluorescent protein (mGFP) fusion protein and a pUL93-specific antibody. Immunoblotting demonstrated that both proteins are incorporated into capsids and virions. Conversely to data suggesting internal translation initiation sites within the UL93 open reading frame (ORF), we provide evidence that pUL93 synthesis commences at the first start codon. In infected cells, pUL77-mGFP was found in nuclear replication compartments and dot-like structures, colocalizing with capsid proteins. Immunogold labeling of nuclear capsids revealed that pUL77 is present on A, B, and C capsids. Pulldown of pUL77-mGFP revealed copurification of pUL93, indicating interaction between these proteins, which still occurred when capsid formation was prevented. Correct subnuclear distribution of pUL77-mGFP required pUL93 as well as the major capsid protein (and thus probably the presence of capsids), but not the tegument protein pp150 or the encapsidation protein pUL52, demonstrating that pUL77 nuclear targeting occurs independently of the formation of DNA-filled capsids. When pUL77 or pUL93 was missing, generation of unit-length genomes was not observed, and only empty B capsids were produced. Taken together, these results show that pUL77 and pUL93 are capsid constituents needed for HCMV genome encapsidation. Therefore, the task of pUL77 seems to differ from that of its alphaherpesvirus orthologue pUL25, which exerts its function subsequent to genome cleavage-packaging.IMPORTANCEThe essential HCMV proteins pUL77 and pUL93 were suggested to be involved in viral genome cleavage-packaging but are poorly characterized both biochemically and functionally. By producing a monoclonal antibody against pUL93 and generating an HCMV mutant in which pUL77 is fused to a fluorescent protein, we show that pUL77 and pUL93 are capsid constituents, with pUL77 being similarly abundant on all capsid types. Each protein is required for genome encapsidation, as the absence of either pUL77 or pUL93 results in a genome packaging defect with the formation of empty capsids only. This distinguishes pUL77 from its alphaherpesvirus orthologue pUL25, which is enriched on DNA-filled capsids and exerts its function after the viral DNA is packaged. Our data for the first time describe an HCMV mutant with a fluorescent capsid and provide insight into the roles of pUL77 and pUL93, thus contributing to a better understanding of the HCMV encapsidation network.

scholarly journals The Essential Human Cytomegalovirus Gene UL52 Is Required for Cleavage-Packaging of the Viral Genome

2007 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 2065-2078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Maria Borst ◽  
Karen Wagner ◽  
Anne Binz ◽  
Beate Sodeik ◽  
Martin Messerle
Keyword(s):  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Essential Role ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
Subnuclear Localization ◽  
Viral Genomes ◽  
Nuclear Egress ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Infected Cells

ABSTRACT Replication of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) produces large DNA concatemers of head-to-tail-linked viral genomes that upon packaging into capsids are cut into unit-length genomes. The mechanisms underlying cleavage-packaging and the subsequent steps prior to nuclear egress of DNA-filled capsids are incompletely understood. The hitherto uncharacterized product of the essential HCMV UL52 gene was proposed to participate in these processes. To investigate the function of pUL52, we constructed a ΔUL52 mutant as well as a complementing cell line. We found that replication of viral DNA was not impaired in noncomplementing cells infected with the ΔUL52 virus, but viral concatemers remained uncleaved. Since the subnuclear localization of the known cleavage-packaging proteins pUL56, pUL89, and pUL104 was unchanged in ΔUL52-infected fibroblasts, pUL52 does not seem to act via these proteins. Electron microscopy studies revealed only B capsids in the nuclei of ΔUL52-infected cells, indicating that the mutant virus has a defect in encapsidation of viral DNA. Generation of recombinant HCMV genomes encoding epitope-tagged pUL52 versions showed that only the N-terminally tagged pUL52 supported viral growth, suggesting that the C terminus is crucial for its function. pUL52 was expressed as a 75-kDa protein with true late kinetics. It localized preferentially to the nuclei of infected cells and was found to enclose the replication compartments. Taken together, our results demonstrate an essential role for pUL52 in cleavage-packaging of HCMV DNA. Given its unique subnuclear localization, the function of pUL52 might be distinct from that of other cleavage-packaging proteins.

scholarly journals Abundant Early Expression of gpUL4 from a Human Cytomegalovirus Mutant Lacking a Repressive Upstream Open Reading Frame

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (15) ◽  
pp. 7188-7192 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Alderete ◽  
Stephanie J. Child ◽  
Adam P. Geballe
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Human Fibroblasts ◽  
Open Reading Frame ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frame ◽  
Inhibitory Mechanism ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Early Expression ◽  
Translational Level

ABSTRACT The human cytomegalovirus UL4 gene encodes a 48-kDa glycoprotein, expression of which is repressed at the translational level by a short upstream open reading frame (uORF2) within the UL4 transcript leader. Mutation of the uORF2 initiation codon in the viral genome eliminates ribosomal stalling at the uORF2 termination site, resulting in early and abundant gpUL4 protein synthesis. This mutation does not appear to affect viral replication kinetics in human fibroblasts. These results reveal that the unusual uORF2 inhibitory mechanism is a principal determinant of the abundance and timing of gpUL4 expression but is nonessential for replication in cell culture.

scholarly journals A functional analysis of G23A polymorphism and the alternative splicing in the expression of the XPA gene

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorota Butkiewicz ◽  
Małgorzata Krześniak ◽  
Rasa Vaitiekunaite ◽  
Bożena Sikora ◽  
Elise Bowman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Start Codon ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Functional Difference ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
Exon 1 ◽  
Alternatively Spliced

AbstractThe XPA gene has a commonly occurring polymorphism (G23A) associated with cancer risk. This study assessed the functional significance of this polymorphism, which is localised near the translation start codon. Lymphoblastoid cell lines with alternative homozygous genotypes showed no significant differences in their XPA levels. The luciferase reporter assay detected no functional difference between the two sequences. Unexpectedly, we found that the alternatively spliced form of XPA mRNA lacked a part of exon 1. Only the reading frame downstream of codon Met59 was preserved. The alternative mRNA is expressed in various human tissues. The analysis of the 5’cDNA ends showed similar transcription start sites for the two forms. The in vitro expression of the alternative XPA labelled with the red fluorescent protein (mRFP) showed a lack of preferential nuclear accumulation of the XPA isoform. The biological role of the alternative XPA mRNA form remains to be elucidated.

scholarly journals An Acidic Cluster of Human Cytomegalovirus UL99 Tegument Protein Is Required for Trafficking and Function

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 1488-1502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Jones ◽  
Shi-Wu Lee
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Cytoplasmic Vacuole ◽  
Viral Growth ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACT The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) virion is comprised of a linear double-stranded DNA genome, proteinaceous capsid and tegument, and a lipid envelope containing virus-encoded glycoproteins. Of these components, the tegument is the least well defined in terms of both protein content and function. Several of the major tegument proteins are phosphoproteins (pp), including pp150, pp71, pp65, and pp28. pp28, encoded by the UL99 open reading frame (ORF), traffics to vacuole-like cytoplasmic structures and was shown recently to be essential for envelopment. To elucidate the UL99 amino acid sequences necessary for its trafficking and function in the HCMV replication cycle, two types of viral mutants were analyzed. Using a series of recombinant viruses expressing various UL99-green fluorescent protein fusions, we demonstrate that myristoylation at glycine 2 and an acidic cluster (AC; amino acids 44 to 57) are required for the punctate perinuclear and cytoplasmic (vacuole-like) localization observed for wild-type pp28. A second approach involving the generation of several UL99 deletion mutants indicated that at least the C-terminal two-thirds of this ORF is nonessential for viral growth. Furthermore, the data suggest that an N-terminal region of UL99 containing the AC is required for viral growth. Regarding virion incorporation or UL99-encoded proteins, we provide evidence that suggests that a hypophosphorylated form of pp28 is incorporated, myristoylation is required, and sequences within the first 57 amino acids are sufficient.

scholarly journals Selective transport of fluorescent proteins into the phage nucleus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina T. Nguyen ◽  
Joseph Sugie ◽  
Kanika Khanna ◽  
MacKennon E. Egan ◽  
Erica A. Birkholz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Messenger Rna ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Nuclear Targeting ◽  
Selective Transport ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractUpon infection of Pseudomonas cells, jumbo phages 201Φ2-1, ΦPA3, and ΦKZ assemble a phage nucleus. Viral DNA is enclosed within the phage-encoded proteinaceous shell along with proteins associated with DNA replication, recombination and transcription. Ribosomes and proteins involved in metabolic processes are excluded from the nucleus. RNA synthesis occurs inside the phage nucleus and messenger RNA is presumably transported into the cytoplasm to be translated. Newly synthesized proteins either remain in the cytoplasm or specifically translocate into the nucleus. The molecular mechanisms governing selective protein sorting and nuclear import in these phage infection systems are currently unclear. To gain insight into this process, we studied the localization of five reporter fluorescent proteins (GFP+, sfGFP, GFPmut1, mCherry, CFP). During infection with ΦPA3 or 201Φ2-1, all five fluorescent proteins were excluded from the nucleus as expected; however, we have discovered an anomaly with the ΦKZ nuclear transport system. The fluorescent protein GFPmut1, expressed by itself, was transported into the ΦKZ phage nucleus. We identified the amino acid residues on the surface of GFPmut1 required for nuclear targeting. Fusing GFPmut1 to any protein, including proteins that normally reside in the cytoplasm, resulted in transport of the fusion into the nucleus. Although the mechanism of transport is still unknown, we demonstrate that GFPmut1 is a useful tool that can be used for fluorescent labelling and targeting of proteins into the ΦKZ phage nucleus.

scholarly journals SAT: a Late NS Protein of Porcine Parvovirus

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (20) ◽  
pp. 13129-13138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Zádori ◽  
József Szelei ◽  
Peter Tijssen
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Open Reading Frame ◽  
Start Codon ◽  
Knockout Mutant ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Knockout Mutants ◽  
Slow Spreading ◽  
Membrane Spanning ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Small Open Reading Frame

ABSTRACT The genomes of all members of the Parvovirus genus were found to contain a small open reading frame (ORF), designated SAT, with a start codon four or seven nucleotides downstream of the VP2 initiation codon. Green fluorescent protein or FLAG fusion constructs of SAT demonstrated that these ORFs were expressed. Although the SAT proteins of the different parvoviruses are not particularly conserved, they were all predicted to contain a membrane-spanning helix, and mutations in this hydrophobic stretch affected the localization of the SAT protein. SAT colocalized with calreticulin in the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and the nucleus. A knockout mutant (SAT−), with an unmodified VP sequence, showed a “slow-spreading” phenotype. These knockout mutants could be complemented with VP2− SAT+ mutant. The SAT protein is a late nonstructural (NS) protein, in contrast to previously identified NS proteins, since it is expressed from the same mRNA as VP2.

scholarly journals Selective transport of fluorescent proteins into the phage nucleus

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0251429
Author(s):  
Katrina T. Nguyen ◽  
Joseph Sugie ◽  
Kanika Khanna ◽  
MacKennon E. Egan ◽  
Erica A. Birkholz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Messenger Rna ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Nuclear Targeting ◽  
Selective Transport ◽  
Insight Into

Upon infection of Pseudomonas cells, jumbo phages 201Φ2–1, ΦPA3, and ΦKZ assemble a phage nucleus. Viral DNA is enclosed within the phage-encoded proteinaceous shell along with proteins associated with DNA replication, recombination and transcription. Ribosomes and proteins involved in metabolic processes are excluded from the nucleus. RNA synthesis occurs inside the phage nucleus and messenger RNA is presumably transported into the cytoplasm to be translated. Newly synthesized proteins either remain in the cytoplasm or specifically translocate into the nucleus. The molecular mechanisms governing selective protein sorting and nuclear import in these phage infection systems are currently unclear. To gain insight into this process, we studied the localization of five reporter fluorescent proteins (GFP+, sfGFP, GFPmut1, mCherry, CFP). During infection with ΦPA3 or 201Φ2–1, all five fluorescent proteins were excluded from the nucleus as expected; however, we have discovered an anomaly with the ΦKZ nuclear transport system. The fluorescent protein GFPmut1, expressed by itself, was transported into the ΦKZ phage nucleus. We identified the amino acid residues on the surface of GFPmut1 required for nuclear targeting. Fusing GFPmut1 to any protein, including proteins that normally reside in the cytoplasm, resulted in transport of the fusion into the nucleus. Although the mechanism of transport is still unknown, we demonstrate that GFPmut1 is a useful tool that can be used for fluorescent labelling and targeting of proteins into the ΦKZ phage nucleus.

scholarly journals Development, Characterization, and Application of Two Reporter-Expressing Recombinant Zika Viruses

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang-Im Yun ◽  
Byung-Hak Song ◽  
Michael E. Woolley ◽  
Jordan C. Frank ◽  
Justin G. Julander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Translational Control ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Artificial Chromosome ◽  
Parental Virus ◽  
Entry Site ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Enveloped Virus ◽  
Run Off ◽  
A Genome

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne transplacentally transmissible flavivirus, is an enveloped virus with an ~10.8 kb plus-strand RNA genome that can cause neurological disease. To facilitate the identification of potential antivirals, we developed two reporter-expressing ZIKVs, each capable of expressing an enhanced green fluorescent protein or an improved luminescent NanoLuc luciferase. First, a full-length functional ZIKV cDNA clone was engineered as a bacterial artificial chromosome, with each reporter gene under the cap-independent translational control of a cardiovirus-derived internal ribosome entry site inserted downstream of the single open reading frame of the viral genome. Two reporter-expressing ZIKVs were then generated by transfection of ZIKV-susceptible BHK-21 cells with infectious RNAs derived by in vitro run-off transcription from the respective cDNAs. As compared to the parental virus, the two reporter-expressing ZIKVs grew to lower titers with slower growth kinetics and formed smaller foci; however, they displayed a genome-wide viral protein expression profile identical to that of the parental virus, except for two previously unrecognized larger forms of the C and NS1 proteins. We then used the NanoLuc-expressing ZIKV to assess the in vitro antiviral activity of three inhibitors (T-705, NITD-008, and ribavirin). Altogether, our reporter-expressing ZIKVs represent an excellent molecular tool for the discovery of novel antivirals.

scholarly journals Human Cytomegalovirus pUL93 Is Required for Viral Genome Cleavage and Packaging

2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (23) ◽  
pp. 12221-12225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette M. DeRussy ◽  
Ritesh Tandon
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Viral Gene Expression ◽  
Viral Gene ◽  
Genome Packaging ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
Virus Growth ◽  
Virus Life Cycle

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pUL93 is essential for virus growth, but its precise function in the virus life cycle is unknown. Here, we characterize a UL93 stop mutant virus (UL93st-TB40/E-BAC) to demonstrate that the absence of this protein does not restrict viral gene expression; however, cleavage of viral DNA into unit-length genomes as well as genome packaging is abolished. Thus, pUL93 is required for viral genome cleavage and packaging.

scholarly journals Histone H3 Lysine 4 Methylation Marks Postreplicative Human Cytomegalovirus Chromatin

2012 ◽  
Vol 86 (18) ◽  
pp. 9817-9827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Nitzsche ◽  
Charlotte Steinhäußer ◽  
Katrin Mücke ◽  
Christina Paulus ◽  
Michael Nevels
Keyword(s):  
Dna Replication ◽  
Dna Synthesis ◽  
Histone Modification ◽  
Dna Polymerase ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Histone H3 ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Preferential Incorporation

In the nuclei of permissive cells, human cytomegalovirus genomes form nucleosomal structures initially resembling heterochromatin but gradually switching to a euchromatin-like state. This switch is characterized by a decrease in histone H3 K9 methylation and a marked increase in H3 tail acetylation and H3 K4 methylation across the viral genome. We used ganciclovir and a mutant virus encoding a reversibly destabilized DNA polymerase to examine the impact of DNA replication on histone modification dynamics at the viral chromatin. The changes in H3 tail acetylation and H3 K9 methylation proceeded in a DNA replication-independent fashion. In contrast, the increase in H3 K4 methylation proved to depend widely on viral DNA synthesis. Consistently, labeling of nascent DNA using “click chemistry” revealed preferential incorporation of methylated H3 K4 into viral (but not cellular) chromatin during or following DNA replication. This study demonstrates largely selective epigenetic tagging of postreplicative human cytomegalovirus chromatin.

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