scholarly journals Differentiating the Roles of UL16, UL21, and Us3 in the Nuclear Egress of Herpes Simplex Virus Capsids

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Gao ◽  
Renée L. Finnen ◽  
Maxwell R. Sherry ◽  
Valerie Le Sage ◽  
Bruce W. Banfield

ABSTRACT Viral proteins pUL16 and pUL21 are required for efficient nuclear egress of herpes simplex virus 2 capsids. To better understand the role of these proteins in nuclear egress, we established whether nuclear egress complex (NEC) distribution and/or function was altered in the absence of either pUL16 or pUL21. NEC distribution in cells infected with pUL16-deficient viruses was indistinguishable from that observed in cells infected with wild-type viruses. In contrast, NEC distribution was aberrant in cells infected with pUL21-deficient virus and, instead, showed some similarity to the aberrant NEC distribution pattern observed in cells infected with pUs3-deficient virus. These results indicated that pUL16 plays a role in nuclear egress that is distinct from that of pUL21 and pUs3. Higher-resolution examination of nuclear envelope ultrastructure in cells infected with pUL21-deficient viruses by transmission electron microscopy showed different types of nuclear envelope perturbations, including some that were not observed in cells infected with pUs3 deficient virus. The formation of the nuclear envelope perturbations observed in pUL21-deficient virus infections was dependent on a functional NEC, revealing a novel role for pUL21 in regulating NEC activity. The results of comparisons of nuclear envelope ultrastructure in cells infected with viruses lacking pUs3, pUL16, or both pUs3 and pUL16 were consistent with a role for pUL16 in advance of primary capsid envelopment and shed new light on how pUs3 functions in nuclear egress. IMPORTANCE The membrane deformation activity of the herpesvirus nuclear egress complex (NEC) allows capsids to transit through both nuclear membranes into the cytoplasm. NEC activity must be precisely controlled during viral infection, and yet our knowledge of how NEC activity is controlled is incomplete. To determine how pUL16 and pUL21, two viral proteins required for nuclear egress of herpes simplex virus 2, function in nuclear egress, we examined how the lack of each protein impacted NEC distribution. These analyses revealed a function of pUL16 in nuclear egress distinct from that of pUL21, uncovered a novel role for pUL21 in regulating NEC activity, and shed new light on how a viral kinase, pUs3, regulates nuclear egress. Nuclear egress of capsids is required for all herpesviruses. A complete understanding of all aspects of nuclear egress, including how viral NEC activity is controlled, may yield strategies to disrupt this process and aid the development of herpes-specific antiviral therapies.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Gao ◽  
Renée L. Finnen ◽  
Maxwell R. Sherry ◽  
Valerie Le Sage ◽  
Bruce W. Banfield

AbstractPrevious studies from our laboratory established that pUL16 and pUL21 are required for efficient nuclear egress of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) capsids. To better understand the role of these proteins in nuclear egress, we wished to establish whether nuclear egress complex (NEC) localization and/or function was altered in the absence of either pUL16 or pUL21. We used antiserum raised against HSV-2 NEC components pUL31 and pUL34 to examine NEC localization by immunofluorescence microscopy. NEC localization in cells infected with pUL16 deficient viruses was indistinguishable from that observed in cells infected with wild type viruses. By contrast, NEC localization was found to be aberrant in cells infected with pUL21 deficient virus and, instead, showed some similarity to the aberrant NEC localization pattern observed in cells infected with pUs3 deficient virus. These results indicated that pUL16 plays a role in nuclear egress that is distinct from that of pUL21 and pUs3. Higher resolution examination of nuclear envelope ultrastructure in cells infected with pUL21 deficient viruses by transmission electron microscopy showed different types of nuclear envelope perturbations, including some that were not observed in cells infected with pUs3 deficient virus. The formation of the nuclear envelope perturbations observed in pUL21 deficient virus infections was found to be dependent on a functional NEC, revealing a novel role for pUL21 in regulating NEC activity. The results of comparisons of nuclear envelope ultrastructure in cells infected with viruses lacking pUs3, pUL16 or both pUs3 and pUL16 were consistent with a role for pUL16 upstream of primary capsid envelopment and shed new light on how pUs3 functions in nuclear egress.Author summaryThe membrane deformation activity of the herpesvirus nuclear egress complex (NEC), allows viral capsids to transit from their site of assembly in the nucleus through both nuclear membranes into the cytoplasm. The timing, extent and directionality of NEC activity must be precisely controlled during viral infection, yet our knowledge of how NEC activity is controlled is incomplete. To determine how pUL16 and pUL21, two viral proteins required for nuclear egress of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) capsids, function to promote nuclear egress, we examined how the lack of each protein impacted NEC localization. These analyses revealed a function of pUL16 in nuclear egress that is distinct from that of pUL21, uncovered a novel role for pUL21 in regulating NEC activity and shed new light on how a viral kinase, pUs3, regulates nuclear egress. Nuclear egress of viral capsids is a common feature of the replicative cycle of all herpesviruses. A complete understanding of all aspects of nuclear egress, including how viral NEC activity is controlled, may yield strategies to disrupt this process that could be applied to the development of herpes-specific antiviral drugs.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 4540-4544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Perez-Romero ◽  
Aleida Perez ◽  
Althea Capul ◽  
Rebecca Montgomery ◽  
A. Oveta Fuller

ABSTRACT We examined herpes simplex virus (HSV)-infected human HEp-2 cells or porcine cells that express herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) for virus and receptor protein interactions. Antibody to HVEM, or its viral ligand gD, coimmunoprecipitated several similar proteins. A prominent 110-kDa protein that coprecipitated was identified as gH. The HVEM/gD/gH complex was detected with mild or stringent cell lysis conditions. It did not form in cells infected with HSV-1(KOS)Rid1 virus or with null virus lacking gD, gH, or gL. Thus, in cells a complex forms through physical associations of HVEM, gD, and at least gH.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. e1010132
Author(s):  
Vesa Aho ◽  
Sami Salminen ◽  
Salla Mattola ◽  
Alka Gupta ◽  
Felix Flomm ◽  
...  

Herpes simplex virus capsids are assembled and packaged in the nucleus and move by diffusion through the nucleoplasm to the nuclear envelope for egress. Analyzing their motion provides conclusions not only on capsid transport but also on the properties of the nuclear environment during infection. We utilized live-cell imaging and single-particle tracking to characterize capsid motion relative to the host chromatin. The data indicate that as the chromatin was marginalized toward the nuclear envelope it presented a restrictive barrier to the capsids. However, later in infection this barrier became more permissive and the probability of capsids to enter the chromatin increased. Thus, although chromatin marginalization initially restricted capsid transport to the nuclear envelope, a structural reorganization of the chromatin counteracted that to promote capsid transport later. Analyses of capsid motion revealed that it was subdiffusive, and that the diffusion coefficients were lower in the chromatin than in regions lacking chromatin. In addition, the diffusion coefficient in both regions increased during infection. Throughout the infection, the capsids were never enriched at the nuclear envelope, which suggests that instead of nuclear export the transport through the chromatin is the rate-limiting step for the nuclear egress of capsids. This provides motivation for further studies by validating the importance of intranuclear transport to the life cycle of HSV-1.


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