scholarly journals Crystal Structure of the N-Terminal Half of the Traffic Controller UL37 from Herpes Simplex Virus 1

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea L. Koenigsberg ◽  
Ekaterina E. Heldwein
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Pseudorabies Virus ◽  
Surface Region ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT Inner tegument protein UL37 is conserved among all three subfamilies of herpesviruses. Studies of UL37 homologs from two alphaherpesviruses, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PRV), have suggested that UL37 plays an essential albeit poorly defined role in intracellular capsid trafficking. At the same time, HSV and PRV homologs cannot be swapped, which suggests that in addition to a conserved function, UL37 homologs also have divergent virus-specific functions. Accurate dissection of UL37 functions requires detailed maps in the form of atomic-resolution structures. Previously, we reported the crystal structure of the N-terminal half of UL37 (UL37N) from PRV. Here, we report the crystal structure of HSV-1 UL37N. Comparison of the two structures reveals that UL37 homologs differ in their overall shapes, distributions of surface charges, and locations of projecting loops. In contrast, the previously identified R2 surface region is structurally conserved. We propose that within the N-terminal half of UL37, functional conservation is centered within the R2 surface region, whereas divergent structural elements pinpoint regions mediating virus-specific functions and may engage different binding partners. Together, the two structures can now serve as templates for a structure-guided exploration of both conserved and virus-specific functions of UL37. IMPORTANCE The ability to move efficiently within host cell cytoplasm is essential for replication in all viruses. It is especially important in the neuroinvasive alphaherpesviruses, such as human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, and veterinarian pseudorabies virus (PRV), that infect the peripheral nervous system and have to travel long distances along axons. Capsid movement in these viruses is controlled by capsid-associated tegument proteins, yet their specific roles have not yet been defined. Systematic exploration of the roles of tegument proteins in capsid trafficking requires detailed navigational charts in the form of their three-dimensional structures. Here, we determined the crystal structure of the N-terminal half of a conserved tegument protein, UL37, from HSV-1. This structure, along with our previously reported structure of the UL37 homolog from PRV, provides a much needed 3-dimensional template for the dissection of both conserved and virus-specific functions of UL37 in intracellular capsid trafficking.

scholarly journals Conserved Outer Tegument Component UL11 from Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Is an Intrinsically Disordered, RNA-Binding Protein

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire M. Metrick ◽  
Andrea L. Koenigsberg ◽  
Ekaterina E. Heldwein
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Intrinsic Disorder ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Regions ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT A distinguishing morphological feature of all herpesviruses is the multiprotein tegument layer located between the nucleocapsid and lipid envelope of the virion. Tegument proteins play multiple roles in viral replication, including viral assembly, but we do not yet understand their individual functions or how the tegument is assembled and organized. UL11, the smallest tegument protein, is important for several distinct processes in replication, including efficient virion morphogenesis and cell-cell spread. However, the mechanistic understanding of its role in these and other processes is limited in part by the scant knowledge of its biochemical and structural properties. Here, we report that UL11 from herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is an intrinsically disordered, conformationally dynamic protein that undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in vitro. Intrinsic disorder may underlie the ability of UL11 to exert multiple functions and bind multiple partners. Sequence analysis suggests that not only all UL11 homologs but also all HSV-1 tegument proteins contain intrinsically disordered regions of different lengths. The presence of intrinsic disorder, and potentially, the ability to form LLPS, may thus be a common feature of the tegument proteins. We hypothesize that tegument assembly may involve the formation of a biomolecular condensate, driven by the heterogeneous mixture of intrinsically disordered tegument proteins. IMPORTANCE Herpesvirus virions contain a unique tegument layer sandwiched between the capsid and lipid envelope and composed of multiple copies of about two dozen viral proteins. However, little is known about the structure of the tegument or how it is assembled. Here, we show that a conserved tegument protein UL11 from herpes simplex virus 1, a prototypical alphaherpesvirus, is an intrinsically disordered protein that undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro. Through sequence analysis, we find intrinsically disordered regions of different lengths in all HSV-1 tegument proteins. We hypothesize that intrinsic disorder is a common characteristic of tegument proteins and propose a new model of tegument as a biomolecular condensate.

scholarly journals Herpes Simplex Virus Tegument Protein VP16 Is a Component of Primary Enveloped Virions

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 2582-2584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Naldinho-Souto ◽  
Helena Browne ◽  
Tony Minson
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Pseudorabies Virus ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Immunogold Electron Microscopy ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Perinuclear Space ◽  
Simplex Virus

ABSTRACT Immunogold electron microscopy was used to determine whether the tegument proteins VP13/14, VP22, and VP16 of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) are components of primary enveloped virions. Whereas VP13/14 and VP22 were not detected in virus particles in the perinuclear space and were present in only mature extracellular virions, VP16 was acquired prior to primary envelopment of the virus at the inner nuclear membrane. This finding highlights potential similarities and differences between HSV1 and the related alphaherpesvirus, pseudorabies virus, in which the homologues of all three of these tegument proteins are not incorporated into the virion until secondary envelopment.

scholarly journals Evasion of the STING DNA-Sensing Pathway by VP11/12 of Herpes Simplex Virus 1

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibaut Deschamps ◽  
Maria Kalamvoki
Keyword(s):  
Innate Immunity ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Type I ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Growth Defects ◽  
Foreign Dna ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT The stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) is a broad antimicrobial factor that restricts herpes simplex virus (HSV) by activating type I interferon and proinflammatory responses upon sensing of foreign DNA. UL46 is one of the most abundant tegument proteins of HSV-1, but a well-established function has yet to be found. We found that the HSV-1 UL46 protein interacts with and colocalizes with STING. A ΔUL46 virus displayed growth defects and activated innate immunity, but both effects were alleviated in STING knockdown cells. UL46 was also required for the inhibition of the 2′,3′-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP)-dependent immune responses during infection. In cells expressing UL46, out of the context of the infection, innate immunity to a ΔICP0 virus was largely compromised, and that permitted ICP0-deficient mutants to replicate. The UL46-expressing cell lines also rescued the defects of the ΔUL46 virus and enhanced wild-type virus infection. The UL46-expressing cell lines did not activate interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) transcription following treatment with the noncanonical cyclic dinucleotide 2′,3′-cGAMP, suggesting that the STING pathway may be compromised. Indeed, we found that both proteins STING and IFI16 were eliminated in cells constitutively expressing UL46 and that the accumulation of their transcripts was blocked. Finally, we demonstrated that UL46 via its N terminus binds to STING and, via its C terminus, to TBK1. These interactions appear to modulate the functions of STING during HSV-1 infection. Taken together, our studies describe a novel function for one of the least-studied proteins of HSV, the tegument protein UL46, and that function involves the evasion of foreign DNA-sensing pathways. IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) afflicts 80% of the population worldwide, causing various diseases. After initial infection, the virus establishes latent reservoirs in sensory neurons and persists for life. Here we describe novel interactions between HSV-1 and the DNA sensor STING. We found that (i) HSV-1 tegument protein UL46 interacts with and colocalizes with STING; (ii) UL46 expressed out of the context of the infection blocks type I interferon triggered by STING stimuli, through the elimination of STING and of interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16); (iii) a ΔUL46 virus displayed growth defects, which were rescued in STING knockdown cells; (iv) the ΔUL46 virus failed to block innate immunity triggered by ligands of STING such as 2′,3′-cGAMP and also activated IFN-β and ISG expression; and (v) UL46 binds to both STING and TBK1 through different domains. We conclude that UL46 counteracts the actions of STING during HSV-1 infection.

scholarly journals Functional Characterization of Glycoprotein H Chimeras Composed of Conserved Domains of the Pseudorabies Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Homologs

2015 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 421-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian W. Böhm ◽  
Marija Backovic ◽  
Barbara G. Klupp ◽  
Felix A. Rey ◽  
Thomas C. Mettenleiter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Pseudorabies Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Functional Conservation ◽  
Glycoprotein H ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Domain I ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACTMembrane fusion is indispensable for entry of enveloped viruses into host cells. The conserved core fusion machinery of theHerpesviridaeconsists of glycoprotein B (gB) and the gH/gL complex. Recently, crystal structures of gH/gL of herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) and Epstein-Barr virus and of a core fragment of pseudorabies virus (PrV) gH identified four structurally conserved gH domains. To investigate functional conservation, chimeric genes encoding combinations of individual domains of PrV and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) gH were expressed in rabbit kidney cells, and their processing and transport to the cell surface, as well as activity in fusion assays including gB, gD, and gL of PrV or HSV-1, were analyzed. Chimeric gH containing domain I of HSV-1 and domains II to IV of PrV exhibited limited fusion activity in the presence of PrV gB and gD and HSV-1 gL, but not of PrV gL. More strikingly, chimeric gH consisting of PrV domains I to III and HSV-1 domain IV exhibited considerable fusion activity together with PrV gB, gD, and gL. Replacing PrV gB with the HSV-1 protein significantly enhanced this activity. A cell line stably expressing this chimeric gH supported replication of gH-deleted PrV. Our results confirm the specificity of domain I for gL binding, demonstrate functional conservation of domain IV in two alphaherpesviruses from different genera, and indicate species-specific interactions of this domain with gB. They also suggest that gH domains II and III might form a structural and functional unit which does not tolerate major substitutions.IMPORTANCEEnvelope glycoprotein H (gH) is essential for herpesvirus-induced membrane fusion, which is required for host cell entry and viral spread. Although gH is structurally conserved within theHerpesviridae, its precise role and its interactions with other components of the viral fusion machinery are not fully understood. Chimeric proteins containing domains of gH proteins from different herpesviruses can serve as tools to elucidate the molecular basis of gH function. The present study shows that the C-terminal part of human herpesvirus 1 (herpes simplex virus 1) gH can functionally substitute for the corresponding part of suid herpesvirus 1 (pseudorabies virus) gH, whereas other tested combinations proved to be nonfunctional. Interestingly, the exchangeable fragment included the membrane-proximal end of the gH ectodomain (domain IV), which is most conserved in sequence and structure and might be capable of transient membrane interaction during fusion.

scholarly journals Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Tegument Protein VP22 Abrogates cGAS/STING-Mediated Antiviral Innate Immunity

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Huang ◽  
Hongjuan You ◽  
Chenhe Su ◽  
Yangxin Li ◽  
Shunhua Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Innate Immunity ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Antiviral Innate Immunity ◽  
Protein Vp22 ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACTCytosolic DNA arising from intracellular pathogens is sensed by cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) and triggers a powerful innate immune response. However, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), a double-stranded DNA virus, has developed multiple mechanisms to attenuate host antiviral machinery and facilitate viral infection and replication. In the present study, we found that HSV-1 tegument protein VP22 acts as an inhibitor of cGAS/stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS/STING)-mediated production of interferon (IFN) and its downstream antiviral genes. Our results showed that ectopic expression of VP22 decreased cGAS/STING-mediated IFN-β promoter activation and IFN-β production. Infection with wild-type (WT) HSV-1, but not VP22-deficient virus (ΔVP22), inhibited immunostimulatory DNA (ISD)-induced activation of the IFN signaling pathway. Further study showed that VP22 interacted with cGAS and inhibited the enzymatic activity of cGAS. In addition, stable knockdown of cGAS facilitated the replication of ΔVP22 virus but not the WT. In summary, our findings indicate that HSV-1 VP22 acts as an antagonist of IFN signaling to persistently evade host innate antiviral responses.IMPORTANCEcGAS is very important for host defense against viral infection, and many viruses have evolved ways to target cGAS and successfully evade the attack by the immune system of their susceptible host. This study demonstrated that HSV-1 tegument protein VP22 counteracts the cGAS/STING-mediated DNA-sensing antiviral innate immunity signaling pathway by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of cGAS. The findings in this study will expand our understanding of the interaction between HSV-1 replication and the host DNA-sensing signaling pathway.

scholarly journals The ESCRT-II Subunit EAP20/VPS25 and the Bro1 Domain Proteins HD-PTP and BROX Are Individually Dispensable for Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Replication

2019 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Barnes ◽  
Duncan W. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Pseudorabies Virus ◽  
Protein Sorting ◽  
Tyrosine Phosphatase ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Vacuolar Protein Sorting ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Vacuolar Protein ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT Capsid envelopment during assembly of the neurotropic herpesviruses herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PRV) in the infected cell cytoplasm is thought to involve the late-acting cellular ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) components ESCRT-III and VPS4 (vacuolar protein sorting 4). However, HSV-1, unlike members of many other families of enveloped viruses, does not appear to require the ESCRT-I subunit TSG101 or the Bro1 domain-containing protein ALIX (Alg-2-interacting protein X) to recruit and activate ESCRT-III. Alternative cellular factors that are known to be capable of regulating ESCRT-III function include the ESCRT-II complex and other members of the Bro1 family. We therefore used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knock down the essential ESCRT-II subunit EAP20/VPS25 (ELL-associated protein 20/vacuolar protein sorting 25) and the Bro1 proteins HD-PTP (His domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase) and BROX (Bro1 domain and CAAX motif containing). We demonstrated reductions in levels of the targeted proteins by Western blotting and used quantitative microscopic assays to confirm loss of ESCRT-II and HD-PTP function. We found that in single-step replication experiments, the final yields of HSV-1 were unchanged following loss of EAP20, HD-PTP, or BROX. IMPORTANCE HSV-1 is a pathogen of the human nervous system that uses its own virus-encoded proteins and the normal cellular ESCRT machinery to drive the construction of its envelope. How HSV-1 structural proteins interact with ESCRT components and which subsets of cellular ESCRT proteins are utilized by the virus remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that an essential component of the ESCRT-II complex and two ESCRT-associated Bro1 proteins are dispensable for HSV-1 replication.

scholarly journals The Capsid Protein Encoded by UL17 of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Interacts with Tegument Protein VP13/14

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (15) ◽  
pp. 7642-7650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luella D. Scholtes ◽  
Kui Yang ◽  
Lucy X. Li ◽  
Joel D. Baines
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Intermediate Filament Protein ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Filament Protein ◽  
External Face ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT The UL17 protein (pUL17) of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) likely associates with the surfaces of DNA-containing capsids in a heterodimer with pUL25. pUL17 is also associated with viral light particles that lack capsid proteins, suggesting its presence in the tegument of the HSV-1 virion. To help determine how pUL17 becomes incorporated into virions and its functions therein, we identified pUL17-interacting proteins by immunoprecipitation with pUL17-specific IgY at 16 h postinfection, followed by mass spectrometry. Coimmunoprecipitated proteins included cellular histone proteins H2A, H3, and H4; the intermediate filament protein vimentin; the major HSV-1 capsid protein VP5; and the HSV tegument proteins VP11/12 (pUL46) and VP13/14 (pUL47). The pUL17-VP13/14 interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation in the presence and absence of intact capsids and by affinity copurification of pUL17 and VP13/14 from lysates of cells infected with a recombinant virus encoding His-tagged pUL17. pUL17 and VP13/14-HA colocalized in the nuclear replication compartment, in the cytoplasm, and at the plasma membrane between 9 and 18 h postinfection. One possible explanation of these data is that pUL17 links the external face of the capsid to VP13/14 and associated tegument components.

scholarly journals Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Tegument Protein UL41 Counteracts IFIT3 Antiviral Innate Immunity

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (24) ◽  
pp. 11056-11061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhangtao Jiang ◽  
Chenhe Su ◽  
Chunfu Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Antiviral Activity ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
First Time ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACTThe interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeat 3 (IFIT3 or ISG60) is a host-intrinsic antiviral factor that restricts many instances of DNA and RNA virus replication. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), a DNA virus bearing a large genome, can encode many viral proteins to counteract the host immune responses. However, whether IFIT3 plays a role upon HSV-1 infection is little known. In this study, we show for the first time that HSV-1 tegument protein UL41, a viral endoribonuclease, plays an important role in inhibiting the antiviral activity of IFIT3. Here, we demonstrated that ectopically expressed IFIT3 could restrict the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) but had little effect on the replication of wild-type (WT) HSV-1. Further study showed that WT HSV-1 infection downregulated the expression of IFIT3, and ectopic expression of UL41, but not the immediate-early protein ICP0, notably reduced the expression of IFIT3. The underlying molecular mechanism was that UL41 diminished the accumulation of IFIT3 mRNA to abrogate its antiviral activity. In addition, our results illustrated that ectopic expression of IFIT3 inhibited the replication of UL41-null mutant virus (R2621), and stable knockdown of IFIT3 facilitated its replication. Taking these findings together, HSV-1 was shown for the first time to evade the antiviral function of IFIT3 via UL41.IMPORTANCEThe tegument protein UL41 of HSV-1 is an endoribonuclease with the substrate specificity of RNase A, which plays an important role in viral infection. Upon HSV-1 infection, interferons are critical cytokines that regulate immune responses against viral infection. Host antiviral responses are significantly boosted or crippled in the presence or absence of IFIT3; however, whether IFIT3 plays a role during HSV-1 infection is still unknown. Our data show for the first time that IFIT3 has little effect on HSV-1 replication, as UL41 decreases the accumulation of IFIT3 mRNA and subverts its antiviral activity. This study identifies IFIT3 as a novel target of the tegument protein UL41 and provides new insight into HSV-1-mediated immune evasion.

scholarly journals Domain Interaction Studies of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Tegument Protein UL16 Reveal Its Interaction with Mitochondria

2016 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Chadha ◽  
Akua Sarfo ◽  
Dan Zhang ◽  
Thomas Abraham ◽  
Jillian Carmichael ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 ◽  
Transfected Cells ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Domain Interactions ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACT The UL16 tegument protein of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is conserved among all herpesviruses and plays many roles during replication. This protein has an N-terminal domain (NTD) that has been shown to bind to several viral proteins, including UL11, VP22, and glycoprotein E, and these interactions are negatively regulated by a C-terminal domain (CTD). Thus, in pairwise transfections, UL16 binding is enabled only when the CTD is absent or altered. Based on these results, we hypothesized that direct interactions occur between the NTD and the CTD. Here we report that the separated and coexpressed functional domains of UL16 are mutually responsive to each other in transfected cells and form complexes that are stable enough to be captured in coimmunoprecipitation assays. Moreover, we found that the CTD can associate with itself. To our surprise, the CTD was also found to contain a novel and intrinsic ability to localize to specific spots on mitochondria in transfected cells. Subsequent analyses of HSV-infected cells by immunogold electron microscopy and live-cell confocal imaging revealed a population of UL16 that does not merely accumulate on mitochondria but in fact makes dynamic contacts with these organelles in a time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that the domain interactions of UL16 serve to regulate not just the interaction of this tegument protein with its viral binding partners but also its interactions with mitochondria. The purpose of this novel interaction remains to be determined. IMPORTANCE The HSV-1-encoded tegument protein UL16 is involved in multiple events of the virus replication cycle, ranging from virus assembly to cell-cell spread of the virus, and hence it can serve as an important drug target. Unfortunately, a lack of both structural and functional information limits our understanding of this protein. The discovery of domain interactions within UL16 and the novel ability of UL16 to interact with mitochondria in HSV-infected cells lays a foundational framework for future investigations aimed at deciphering the structure and function of not just UL16 of HSV-1 but also its homologs in other herpesviruses.

scholarly journals Conserved Tryptophan Motifs in the Large Tegument Protein pUL36 Are Required for Efficient Secondary Envelopment of Herpes Simplex Virus Capsids

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 5368-5383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyudmila Ivanova ◽  
Anna Buch ◽  
Katinka Döhner ◽  
Anja Pohlmann ◽  
Anne Binz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Tegument Protein ◽  
Cell Periphery ◽  
Microtubule Organizing Center ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Hsv 1

ABSTRACTHerpes simplex virus (HSV) replicates in the skin and mucous membranes, and initiates lytic or latent infections in sensory neurons. Assembly of progeny virions depends on the essential large tegument protein pUL36 of 3,164 amino acid residues that links the capsids to the tegument proteins pUL37 and VP16. Of the 32 tryptophans of HSV-1-pUL36, the tryptophan-acidic motifs1766WD1767and1862WE1863are conserved in all HSV-1 and HSV-2 isolates. Here, we characterized the role of these motifs in the HSV life cycle since the rare tryptophans often have unique roles in protein function due to their large hydrophobic surface. The infectivity of the mutants HSV-1(17+)Lox-pUL36-WD/AA-WE/AA and HSV-1(17+)Lox-CheVP26-pUL36-WD/AA-WE/AA, in which the capsid has been tagged with the fluorescent protein Cherry, was significantly reduced. Quantitative electron microscopy shows that there were a larger number of cytosolic capsids and fewer enveloped virions compared to their respective parental strains, indicating a severe impairment in secondary capsid envelopment. The capsids of the mutant viruses accumulated in the perinuclear region around the microtubule-organizing center and were not dispersed to the cell periphery but still acquired the inner tegument proteins pUL36 and pUL37. Furthermore, cytoplasmic capsids colocalized with tegument protein VP16 and, to some extent, with tegument protein VP22 but not with the envelope glycoprotein gD. These results indicate that the unique conserved tryptophan-acidic motifs in the central region of pUL36 are required for efficient targeting of progeny capsids to the membranes of secondary capsid envelopment and for efficient virion assembly.IMPORTANCEHerpesvirus infections give rise to severe animal and human diseases, especially in young, immunocompromised, and elderly individuals. The structural hallmark of herpesvirus virions is the tegument, which contains evolutionarily conserved proteins that are essential for several stages of the herpesvirus life cycle. Here we characterized two conserved tryptophan-acidic motifs in the central region of the large tegument protein pUL36 of herpes simplex virus. When we mutated these motifs, secondary envelopment of cytosolic capsids and the production of infectious particles were severely impaired. Our data suggest that pUL36 and its homologs in other herpesviruses, and in particular such tryptophan-acidic motifs, could provide attractive targets for the development of novel drugs to prevent herpesvirus assembly and spread.

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