scholarly journals The Endonucleolytic RNA Cleavage Function of nsp1 of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Promotes the Production of Infectious Virus Particles in Specific Human Cell Lines

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Nakagawa ◽  
Krishna Narayanan ◽  
Masami Wada ◽  
Vsevolod L. Popov ◽  
Maria Cajimat ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMiddle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) nsp1 suppresses host gene expression in expressed cells by inhibiting translation and inducing endonucleolytic cleavage of host mRNAs, the latter of which leads to mRNA decay. We examined the biological functions of nsp1 in infected cells and its role in virus replication by using wild-type MERS-CoV and two mutant viruses with specific mutations in the nsp1; one mutant lacked both biological functions, while the other lacked the RNA cleavage function but retained the translation inhibition function. In Vero cells, all three viruses replicated efficiently with similar replication kinetics, while wild-type virus induced stronger host translational suppression and host mRNA degradation than the mutants, demonstrating that nsp1 suppressed host gene expression in infected cells. The mutant viruses replicated less efficiently than wild-type virus in Huh-7 cells, HeLa-derived cells, and 293-derived cells, the latter two of which stably expressed a viral receptor protein. In 293-derived cells, the three viruses accumulated similar levels of nsp1 and major viral structural proteins and did not induceIFN-β andIFN-λ mRNAs; however, both mutants were unable to generate intracellular virus particles as efficiently as wild-type virus, leading to inefficient production of infectious viruses. These data strongly suggest that the endonucleolytic RNA cleavage function of the nsp1 promoted MERS-CoV assembly and/or budding in a 293-derived cell line. MERS-CoV nsp1 represents the first CoV gene 1 protein that plays an important role in virus assembly/budding and is the first identified viral protein whose RNA cleavage-inducing function promotes virus assembly/budding.IMPORTANCEMERS-CoV represents a high public health threat. Because CoV nsp1 is a major viral virulence factor, uncovering the biological functions of MERS-CoV nsp1 could contribute to our understanding of MERS-CoV pathogenicity and spur development of medical countermeasures. Expressed MERS-CoV nsp1 suppresses host gene expression, but its biological functions for virus replication and effects on host gene expression in infected cells are largely unexplored. We found that nsp1 suppressed host gene expression in infected cells. Our data further demonstrated that nsp1, which was not detected in virus particles, promoted virus assembly or budding in a 293-derived cell line, leading to efficient virus replication. These data suggest that nsp1 plays an important role in MERS-CoV replication and possibly affects virus-induced diseases by promoting virus particle production in infected hosts. Our data, which uncovered an unexpected novel biological function of nsp1 in virus replication, contribute to further understanding of the MERS-CoV replication strategies.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. e1010107
Author(s):  
Jolene Carlson ◽  
Robert Kammerer ◽  
Jens Peter Teifke ◽  
Julia Sehl-Ewert ◽  
Christiane Pfarrer ◽  
...  

In contrast to wild type bovine viral diarhea virus (BVDV) specific double deletion mutants are not able to establish persistent infection upon infection of a pregnant heifer. Our data shows that this finding results from a defect in transfer of the virus from the mother animal to the fetus. Pregnant heifers were inoculated with such a double deletion mutant or the parental wild type virus and slaughtered pairwise on days 6, 9, 10 and 13 post infection. Viral RNA was detected via qRT-PCR and RNAscope analyses in maternal tissues for both viruses from day 6 p.i. on. However, the double deletion mutant was not detected in placenta and was only found in samples from animals infected with the wild type virus. Similarly, high levels of wild type viral RNA were present in fetal tissues whereas the genome of the double deletion mutant was not detected supporting the hypothesis of a specific inhibition of mutant virus replication in the placenta. We compared the induction of gene expression upon infection of placenta derived cell lines with wild type and mutant virus via gene array analysis. Genes important for the innate immune response were strongly upregulated by the mutant virus compared to the wild type in caruncle epithelial cells that establish the cell layer on the maternal side at the maternal–fetal interface in the placenta. Also, trophoblasts which can be found on the fetal side of the interface showed significant induction of gene expression upon infection with the mutant virus although with lower complexity. Growth curves recorded in both cell lines revealed a general reduction of virus replication in caruncular epithelial cells compared to the trophoblasts. Compared to the wild type virus this effect was dramtic for the mutant virus that reached only a TCID50 of 1.0 at 72 hours post infection.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e58572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda de Graaf ◽  
Sander Herfst ◽  
Jamil Aarbiou ◽  
Peter C. Burgers ◽  
Fatiha Zaaraoui-Boutahar ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1764-1771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lok Man J. Law ◽  
Jason C. Everitt ◽  
Martin D. Beatch ◽  
Charles F. B. Holmes ◽  
Tom C. Hobman

ABSTRACT Rubella virus is an enveloped positive-strand RNA virus of the family Togaviridae. Virions are composed of three structural proteins: a capsid and two membrane-spanning glycoproteins, E2 and E1. During virus assembly, the capsid interacts with genomic RNA to form nucleocapsids. In the present study, we have investigated the role of capsid phosphorylation in virus replication. We have identified a single serine residue within the RNA binding region that is required for normal phosphorylation of this protein. The importance of capsid phosphorylation in virus replication was demonstrated by the fact that recombinant viruses encoding hypophosphorylated capsids replicated at much lower titers and were less cytopathic than wild-type virus. Nonphosphorylated mutant capsid proteins exhibited higher affinities for viral RNA than wild-type phosphorylated capsids. Capsid protein isolated from wild-type strain virions bound viral RNA more efficiently than cell-associated capsid. However, the RNA-binding activity of cell-associated capsids increased dramatically after treatment with phosphatase, suggesting that the capsid is dephosphorylated during virus assembly. In vitro assays indicate that the capsid may be a substrate for protein phosphatase 1A. As capsid is heavily phosphorylated under conditions where virus assembly does not occur, we propose that phosphorylation serves to negatively regulate binding of viral genomic RNA. This may delay the initiation of nucleocapsid assembly until sufficient amounts of virus glycoproteins accumulate at the budding site and/or prevent nonspecific binding to cellular RNA when levels of genomic RNA are low. It follows that at a late stage in replication, the capsid may undergo dephosphorylation before nucleocapsid assembly occurs.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 3763-3773
Author(s):  
E White ◽  
B Faha ◽  
B Stillman

Adenovirus mutants carrying alterations in the gene encoding the E1B 19-kilodalton tumor antigen (19K protein) cause enhanced cytopathic effect (cyt phenotype) and the degradation of host-cell chromosomal DNA (deg phenotype) upon infection of human HeLa or KB cells. Furthermore, E1B 19K gene mutant viruses are defective for cellular transformation. We report that these mutant viruses possess a host-range phenotype for growth in human cells. In human HeLa cells the mutant viruses grew to the same levels as the wild-type virus, but they were severely defective for growth in KB cells. In human WI38 cells, the E1B 19K gene mutant viruses had a substantial growth advantage over the wild-type virus, yielding 500-fold-higher titers. Viral DNA synthesis was reduced 10- to 20-fold in WI38 cells infected with the wild-type virus relative to that synthesized by the E1B mutant viruses. Viral early and late protein synthesis was similarly reduced in wild type- relative to mutant-infected cells. These reduced levels of early gene expression in wild-type virus-infected cells were paralleled by comparably reduced levels of early cytoplasmic mRNA. The primary cause of this host-range phenotype appeared at the level of early gene transcription, since transcription of viral early genes in the mutant-infected cells was substantially greater than levels found in cells infected with the wild-type virus. These results implicate the E1B 19K tumor antigen in the regulation of adenovirus early gene expression. Specifically, the E1B 19K protein directly or indirectly exerts a negative effect on early gene transcription accounting for efficient gene expression from the E1B mutant viruses in WI38 cells. Based on these findings it is probable that the cyt and deg phenotypes observed in mutant-infected HeLa and KB cells are the result of the pleiotropic effect of this altered gene regulation.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 4170-4179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. Gaddy ◽  
Douglas S. Lyles

ABSTRACT Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) induces apoptosis by at least two mechanisms. The viral matrix (M) protein induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway due to the inhibition of host gene expression. However, in some cell types, the inhibition of host gene expression by VSV expressing wild-type (wt) M protein delays VSV-induced apoptosis, indicating that another mechanism is involved. In support of this, the recombinant M51R-M (rM51R-M) virus, expressing a mutant M protein that is defective in its ability to inhibit host gene expression, induces apoptosis much more rapidly in L929 cells than do viruses expressing wt M protein. Here, we determine the caspase pathways by which the rM51R-M virus induces apoptosis. An analysis of caspase activity, using fluorometric caspase assays and Western blots, indicated that each of the main initiator caspases, caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-12, were activated during infection with the rM51R-M virus. The overexpression of Bcl-2, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial pathway, or MAGE-3, an inhibitor of caspase-12 activation, did not delay apoptosis induction in rM51R-M virus-infected L929 cells. However, an inhibitor of caspase-8 activity significantly delayed apoptosis induction. Furthermore, the inhibition of caspase-8 activity prevented the activation of caspase-9, suggesting that caspase-9 is activated by cross talk with caspase-8. These data indicate that VSV expressing the mutant M protein induces apoptosis via the death receptor apoptotic pathway, a mechanism distinct from that induced by VSV expressing the wt M protein.


2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 4471-4479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Narayanan ◽  
Cheng Huang ◽  
Kumari Lokugamage ◽  
Wataru Kamitani ◽  
Tetsuro Ikegami ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nsp1 protein has unique biological functions that have not been described in the viral proteins of any RNA viruses; expressed SARS-CoV nsp1 protein has been found to suppress host gene expression by promoting host mRNA degradation and inhibiting translation. We generated an nsp1 mutant (nsp1-mt) that neither promoted host mRNA degradation nor suppressed host protein synthesis in expressing cells. Both a SARS-CoV mutant virus, encoding the nsp1-mt protein (SARS-CoV-mt), and a wild-type virus (SARS-CoV-WT) replicated efficiently and exhibited similar one-step growth kinetics in susceptible cells. Both viruses accumulated similar amounts of virus-specific mRNAs and nsp1 protein in infected cells, whereas the amounts of endogenous host mRNAs were clearly higher in SARS-CoV-mt-infected cells than in SARS-CoV-WT-infected cells, in both the presence and absence of actinomycin D. Further, SARS-CoV-WT replication strongly inhibited host protein synthesis, whereas host protein synthesis inhibition in SARS-CoV-mt-infected cells was not as efficient as in SARS-CoV-WT-infected cells. These data revealed that nsp1 indeed promoted host mRNA degradation and contributed to host protein translation inhibition in infected cells. Notably, SARS-CoV-mt infection, but not SARS-CoV-WT infection, induced high levels of beta interferon (IFN) mRNA accumulation and high titers of type I IFN production. These data demonstrated that SARS-CoV nsp1 suppressed host innate immune functions, including type I IFN expression, in infected cells and suggested that SARS-CoV nsp1 most probably plays a critical role in SARS-CoV virulence.


2000 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita Escaler ◽  
Miguel A. Aranda ◽  
Ian M. Roberts ◽  
Carole L. Thomas ◽  
Andrew J. Maule

1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 3763-3773 ◽  
Author(s):  
E White ◽  
B Faha ◽  
B Stillman

Adenovirus mutants carrying alterations in the gene encoding the E1B 19-kilodalton tumor antigen (19K protein) cause enhanced cytopathic effect (cyt phenotype) and the degradation of host-cell chromosomal DNA (deg phenotype) upon infection of human HeLa or KB cells. Furthermore, E1B 19K gene mutant viruses are defective for cellular transformation. We report that these mutant viruses possess a host-range phenotype for growth in human cells. In human HeLa cells the mutant viruses grew to the same levels as the wild-type virus, but they were severely defective for growth in KB cells. In human WI38 cells, the E1B 19K gene mutant viruses had a substantial growth advantage over the wild-type virus, yielding 500-fold-higher titers. Viral DNA synthesis was reduced 10- to 20-fold in WI38 cells infected with the wild-type virus relative to that synthesized by the E1B mutant viruses. Viral early and late protein synthesis was similarly reduced in wild type- relative to mutant-infected cells. These reduced levels of early gene expression in wild-type virus-infected cells were paralleled by comparably reduced levels of early cytoplasmic mRNA. The primary cause of this host-range phenotype appeared at the level of early gene transcription, since transcription of viral early genes in the mutant-infected cells was substantially greater than levels found in cells infected with the wild-type virus. These results implicate the E1B 19K tumor antigen in the regulation of adenovirus early gene expression. Specifically, the E1B 19K protein directly or indirectly exerts a negative effect on early gene transcription accounting for efficient gene expression from the E1B mutant viruses in WI38 cells. Based on these findings it is probable that the cyt and deg phenotypes observed in mutant-infected HeLa and KB cells are the result of the pleiotropic effect of this altered gene regulation.


1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 1949-1958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara G. Klupp ◽  
Judith Baumeister ◽  
Petra Dietz ◽  
Harald Granzow ◽  
Thomas C. Mettenleiter

ABSTRACT The pseudorabies virus (PrV) gene homologous to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) UL53, which encodes HSV-1 glycoprotein K (gK), has recently been sequenced (J. Baumeister, B. G. Klupp, and T. C. Mettenleiter, J. Virol. 69:5560–5567, 1995). To identify the corresponding protein, a rabbit antiserum was raised against a 40-kDa glutathione S-transferase–gK fusion protein expressed inEscherichia coli. In Western blot analysis, this serum detected a 32-kDa polypeptide in PrV-infected cell lysates as well as a 36-kDa protein in purified virion preparations, demonstrating that PrV gK is a structural component of virions. After treatment of purified virions with endoglycosidase H, a 34-kDa protein was detected, while after incubation with N-glycosidase F, a 32-kDa protein was specifically recognized. This finding indicates that virion gK is modified by N-linked glycans of complex as well as high-mannose type. For functional analysis, the UL53 open reading frame was interrupted after codon 164 by insertion of a gG-lacZ expression cassette into the wild-type PrV genome (PrV-gKβ) or by insertion of the bovine herpesvirus 1 gB gene into a PrV gB− genome (PrV-gKgB). Infectious mutant virus progeny was obtained only on complementing gK-expressing cells, suggesting that gK has an important function in the replication cycle. After infection of Vero cells with either gK mutant, only single infected cells or small foci of infected cells were visible. In addition, virus yield was reduced approximately 30-fold, and penetration kinetics showed a delay in entry which could be compensated for by phenotypic gK complementation. Interestingly, the plating efficiency of PrV-gKβ was similar to that of wild-type PrV on complementing and noncomplementing cells, pointing to an essential function of gK in virus egress but not entry. Ultrastructurally, virus assembly and morphogenesis of PrV gK mutants in noncomplementing cells were similar to wild-type virus. However, late in infection, numerous nucleocapsids were found directly underneath the plasma membrane in stages typical for the entry process, a phenomenon not observed after wild-type virus infection and also not visible after infection of gK-complementing cells. Thus, we postulate that presence of gK is important to inhibit immediate reinfection.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (18) ◽  
pp. 9924-9935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin N. Shepard ◽  
David A. Ornelles

ABSTRACT Species C human adenovirus mutants that fail to express open reading frame 3 of early region 4 (E4orf3) are phenotypically indistinguishable from the wild-type virus when evaluated in cells cultured in vitro. However, E4orf3 gene function has been productively studied in the context of additional viral mutations. This study identifies diverse roles for the E4orf3 protein that are evident in the absence of early region 1B 55-kDa protein (E1B-55K) function. In an E1B-55K-deficient background, the E4orf3 protein promotes viral replication by increasing both the burst size and the probability that an infected cell will produce virus. Early viral gene expression is not impaired in E1B-55K/E4orf3 double mutant virus-infected cells. Cells infected with the double mutant virus accumulated concatemers of viral DNA. However, the E1B-55K/E4orf3 double mutant virus did not replicate any better in MO59J cells, in which viral DNA concatemers did not accumulate, than in MO59K cells, in which viral DNA concatemers were produced, suggesting that viral DNA concatenation is not the primary growth defect of the E1B-55K/E4orf3 double mutant virus. Accumulation of viral mRNA in the nucleus and cytoplasm of E1B-55K/E4orf3 double mutant virus-infected cells was severely reduced compared to that on wild-type virus-infected cells. Thus, in an E1B-55K mutant background, the E4orf3 protein promotes the accumulation of late viral RNA and enhances late gene expression. Finally, within the context of an E1B-55K mutant virus, the E4orf3 protein acts to suppress host cell translation and preserve the viability of cells at moderately late times of infection.


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