scholarly journals Vaccinia Virus Encodes I5, a Small Hydrophobic Virion Membrane Protein That Enhances Replication and Virulence in Mice

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (20) ◽  
pp. 10071-10078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy L. Sood ◽  
Jerrold M. Ward ◽  
Bernard Moss

ABSTRACT The vaccinia virus I5L open reading frame encodes a 79-amino-acid protein, with two predicted transmembrane domains, that is conserved among all sequenced members of the chordopoxvirus subfamily. No nonpoxvirus homologs or functional motifs have been recognized, and the role of the I5 protein remains unknown. We found that synthesis of I5 was dependent on viral DNA replication and occurred exclusively at late times, consistent with a consensus late promoter motif adjacent to the start of the open reading frame. I5 was present in preparations of purified virions and could be extracted with nonionic detergent, suggesting membrane insertion. Transmission electron microscopy of immunogold-labeled thawed cryosections of infected cells revealed the association of an epitope-tagged I5 with the membranes of immature and mature virions. Viable I5L deletion and frameshift mutants were constructed and found to replicate like wild-type virus in a variety of cell lines and primary human epidermal keratinocytes, indicating that the protein was dispensable for in vitro cultivation. However, mouse intranasal challenge experiments indicated that a mutant virus with a frameshift resulting in a stop codon near the N terminus of I5 was attenuated compared to control virus. The attenuation was correlated with clearance of mutant viruses from the respiratory tract and with less progression and earlier resolution of pathological changes. We suggest that I5 is involved in an aspect of host defense that is evolutionarily conserved although a role in cell tropism should also be considered.

2007 ◽  
Vol 88 (11) ◽  
pp. 2941-2951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad M. Ahasan ◽  
Clive Sweet

Murine cytomegalovirus mutant Rc29, with a premature stop codon mutation in the m29 open reading frame (ORF), produced no apparent phenotype in cell culture or following infection of BALB/c mice. In contrast, a similar mutant virus, Rc29.1, with a premature stop codon mutation in its m29.1 ORF, showed reduced virus yields (2–3 log10 p.f.u. ml−1) in tissue culture. Mutant virus yields in BALB/c mice were delayed, reduced (∼1 log10 p.f.u. per tissue) and persisted less well in salivary glands compared with wild-type (wt) and revertant (Rv29.1) virus. In severe combined immunodeficiency mice, Rc29.1 virus showed delayed and reduced replication initially in all tissues (liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, lung and salivary glands). This delayed death until 31 days post-infection (p.i.) compared with wt (23 days p.i.) but at death virus yields were similar to wt. m29 gene transcription was initiated at early times post-infection, while production of a transcript from ORF m29.1 in the presence of cycloheximide indicated that it was an immediate-early gene. ORFs m29.1 and M28 are expressed from a bicistronic message, which is spliced infrequently. However, it is likely that each ORF expresses its own protein, as antiserum derived in rabbits to the m29.1 protein expressed in bacteria from the m29.1 ORF detected only one protein in Western blot analysis of the size predicted for the m29.1 protein. Our results suggest that neither ORF is essential for virus replication but m29.1 is important for optimal viral growth in vitro and in vivo.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig H Kerr ◽  
Qing S Wang ◽  
Kyung-Mee Moon ◽  
Kathleen Keatings ◽  
Douglas W Allan ◽  
...  

AbstractRNA structures can interact with the ribosome to alter translational reading frame maintenance and promote recoding that result in alternative protein products. Here, we show that the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) from the dicistrovirus Cricket paralysis virus drives translation of the 0-frame viral polyprotein and an overlapping +1 open reading frame, called ORFx, via a novel mechanism whereby a subset of ribosomes recruited to the IRES bypasses downstream to resume translation at the +1-frame 13th non-AUG codon. A mutant of CrPV containing a stop codon in the +1 frame ORFx sequence, yet synonymous in the 0-frame, is attenuated compared to wild-type virus in a Drosophila infection model, indicating the importance of +1 ORFx expression in promoting viral pathogenesis. This work demonstrates a novel programmed IRES-mediated recoding strategy to increase viral coding capacity and impact virus infection, highlighting the diversity of RNA-driven translation initiation mechanisms in eukaryotes.Significance StatementViruses use alternate mechanisms to increase the coding capacity of their viral genomes. Here, we provide biochemical evidence that ribosomes recruited to the dicistrovirus cricket paralysis virus IRES undergo a bypass event to direct translation of a downstream +1 frame overlapping open reading frame, called ORFx. Mutations that block ORFx expression inhibit +1 frame translation and infection in fruit flies. These findings highlight the diversity of RNA-driven translation initiation mechanisms in eukaryotes.


2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 1697-1707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerardo Abenes ◽  
Manfred Lee ◽  
Erik Haghjoo ◽  
Tuong Tong ◽  
Xiaoyan Zhan ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Using a Tn3-based transposon mutagenesis approach, we have generated a pool of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) mutants. In this study, one of the mutants, RvM27, which contained the transposon sequence at open reading frame M27, was characterized both in tissue culture and in immunocompetent BALB/c mice and immunodeficient SCID mice. Our results suggest that the M27 carboxyl-terminal sequence is dispensable for viral replication in vitro. Compared to the wild-type strain and a rescued virus that restored the M27 region, RvM27 was attenuated in growth in both BALB/c and SCID mice that were intraperitoneally infected with the viruses. Specifically, the titers of RvM27 in the salivary glands, lungs, spleens, livers, and kidneys of the infected SCID mice at 21 days postinfection were 50- to 500-fold lower than those of the wild-type virus and the rescued virus. Moreover, the virulence of the mutant virus appeared to be attenuated, because no deaths occurred among SCID mice infected with RvM27 for up to 37 days postinfection, while all the animals infected with the wild-type and rescued viruses died within 27 days postinfection. Our observations provide the first direct evidence to suggest that a disruption of M27 expression results in reduced viral growth and attenuated viral virulence in vivo in infected animals. Moreover, these results suggest that M27 is a viral determinant required for optimal MCMV growth and virulence in vivo and provide insight into the functions of the M27 homologues found in other animal and human CMVs as well as in other betaherpesviruses.


2008 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 922-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinshan Huang ◽  
Bifang Hao ◽  
Fei Deng ◽  
Xiulian Sun ◽  
Hualin Wang ◽  
...  

In this report, the open reading frame 21 (Bm21) of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), one of the unique genes of group I NPVs, was characterized. Bm21 is predicted to encode a protein of 55.8 kDa and was found to contain imperfectly conserved leucine-rich repeats. 3′ Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (3′RACE) showed that the transcript of Bm21 was first detected from 6 h post-infection and that it also encompassed the complete Bm20. 5′RACE revealed three transcription initiation sites, one of which mapped to the baculovirus early transcription motifs CGTGC and CAGT. Transient-expression and superinfection assays indicated that BM21 localized in the nucleus of infected BmN cells. To study the function of BM21, a Bm21-null virus was constructed using bacmid technology. Viral one-step growth curve analyses showed that the Bm21-null virus had similar budded virus production kinetics to those of the parental virus. Bioassay analyses showed that the median lethal concentration (LC50) of the Bm21-null virus was similar to that of the control virus; however, the median survival time (ST50) of the knockout virus was significantly longer than the control virus. These results indicate that BM21 is not essential for virus replication in vitro, but that deletion of the gene delays the killing of the infected larvae.


2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (20) ◽  
pp. 9488-9497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianqiao Xiao ◽  
Tuong Tong ◽  
Xiaoyan Zhan ◽  
Erik Haghjoo ◽  
Fenyong Liu

ABSTRACT We have recently generated a pool of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) mutants by using a Tn3-based transposon mutagenesis approach. In this study, one of the MCMV mutants, RvM43, which contained the transposon inserted in open reading frame M43, was characterized. Our results provide the first direct evidence to suggest that M43 is not essential for viral replication in vitro in NIH 3T3 cells. Moreover, RvM43 exhibited a titer similar to that of the wild-type virus in the lungs, livers, spleens, and kidneys of both BALB/c and SCID mice and was as virulent as the wild-type virus in killing SCID mice that had been intraperitoneally infected with the viruses. In contrast, titers of the mutant virus in the salivary glands of the infected animals at 21 days postinfection were significantly (100 to 1,000-fold) lower than those of the wild-type virus and a rescued virus that restored the M43 region and its expression. Thus, M43 appears to be not essential for viral growth in vivo in the lungs, livers, spleens, and kidneys of infected animals and is also dispensable for virulence in killing SCID mice. Moreover, our results suggest that M43 is an MCMV determinant for growth in the salivary glands. Studies of viral genes required for replication in the salivary glands are important in understanding the mechanism of viral tropism for the salivary glands and shedding in saliva, which is believed to be one of the major routes of CMV transmission among healthy human populations.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (13) ◽  
pp. 6891-6899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerardo Abenes ◽  
Karen Chan ◽  
Manfred Lee ◽  
Erik Haghjoo ◽  
Jiaming Zhu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A pool of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) mutants was previously generated by using a Tn3-based transposon mutagenesis approach (X. Zhan, M. Lee, J. Xiao, and F. Liu, J. Virol. 74:7411-7421, 2000). In this study, one of the MCMV mutants, Rvm155, which contained the transposon insertion in open reading frame m155, was characterized in vitro for its replication in tissue culture and in vivo for its growth and virulence in immunodeficient SCID mice. Compared to the wild-type strain and a rescued virus that restored the m155 region, the mutant is significantly deficient in growth in many organs of the infected animals. At 21 days postinfection the titers of Rvm155 in the salivary glands, lungs, spleens, livers, and kidneys of the intraperitoneally infected SCID mice were lower than the titers of the wild-type virus and the rescued virus by 50-, 1,000-, 500-, 100-, and 500-fold, respectively. Moreover, the viral mutant was attenuated in killing the SCID mice, as none of the SCID mice that were intraperitoneally infected with Rvm155 died until 38 days postinfection while all the animals infected with the wild-type and rescued viruses died at 27 days postinfection. Our results provide the first direct evidence that a disruption of m155 expression leads to attenuation of viral virulence and growth in animals. Moreover, these results suggest that m155 is a viral determinant for optimal MCMV growth and virulence in vivo.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 6212-6223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Hemmings-Mieszczak ◽  
Thomas Hohn ◽  
Thomas Preiss

ABSTRACT We have shown recently that a stable hairpin preceded by a short upstream open reading frame (uORF) promotes nonlinear ribosome migration or ribosome shunt on a synthetic mRNA leader (M. Hemmings-Mieszczak and T. Hohn, RNA 5:1149–1157, 1999). We have now used the model mRNA leader to study further the mechanism of shunting in vivo and in vitro. We show that a full cycle of translation of the uORF, including initiation, elongation, and termination, is a precondition for the ribosome shunt across the stem structure to initiate translation downstream. Specifically, AUG recognition and the proper release of the nascent peptide are necessary and sufficient for shunting. Furthermore, the stop codon context must not impede downstream reinitiation. Translation of the main ORF was inhibited by replacement of the uORF by coding sequences repressing reinitiation but stimulated by the presence of the virus-specific translational transactivator of reinitiation (cauliflower mosaic virus pVI). Our results indicate reinitiation as the mechanism of translation initiation on the synthetic shunt-competent mRNA leader and suggest that uORF-dependent shunting is more prevalent than previously anticipated. Within the above constraints, uORF-dependent shunting is quite tolerant of uORF and stem sequences and operates in systems as diverse as plants and fungi.


Author(s):  
A. R. Crooker ◽  
M. C. Myers ◽  
T. L. Beard ◽  
E. S. Graham

Cell culture systems have become increasingly popular as a means of screening toxic agents and studying toxic mechanisms of drugs and other chemicals at the cellular and subcellular levels. These in vitro tests can be conducted rapidly in a broad range of relevant mammalian culture systems; a variety of biological and biochemical cytotoxicity endpoints can be examined. The following study utilized human keratinocytes to evaluate the relative cytotoxicities of nitrofurazone (NF) and silver sulfadiazine (SS), the active ingredients of FURACIN(R) Topical Cream and SILVADENE(R) Cream, respectively. These compounds are anti-infectives used in the treatment of burn patients. Cell ultrastructure and elemental composition were utilized as cytotoxicity endpoints.Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes (HK) were prepared from the EpiPackTM culture system (Clonetics Corporation, Boulder, CO). For scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cells were seeded on sterile 35 mm Falcon plastic dishes; for elemental microanalysis, cells were plated on polished pyrolytic carbon discs (E. Fullam, Latham, NY) placed in the culture dishes.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2153
Author(s):  
Raffaella Marina Lecci ◽  
Isabella D’Antuono ◽  
Angela Cardinali ◽  
Antonella Garbetta ◽  
Vito Linsalata ◽  
...  

A wide variety of polyphenols are reported to have considerable antioxidant and skin photoprotective effects, although the mechanisms of action are not fully known. Environmentally friendly and inexpensive sources of natural bioactive compounds, such as olive mill wastewater (OMWW), the by-product of olive-oil processing, can be considered an economic source of bioactive polyphenols, with a range of biological activities, useful as chemotherapeutic or cosmeceutical agents. Green strategies, such as the process based on membrane technologies, allow to recover active polyphenols from this complex matrix. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant, pro-oxidant, and photoprotective effects, including the underlying action mechanism(s), of the ultra-filtered (UF) OMWW fractions, in order to substantiate their use as natural cosmeceutical ingredient. Six chemically characterized UF-OMWW fractions, from Italian and Greek olive cultivar processing, were investigated for their antioxidant activities, measured by Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC), LDL oxidation inhibition, and ROS-quenching ability in UVA-irradiated HEKa (Human Epidermal Keratinocytes adult) cultures. The photoprotective properties of UF-OMWW were assayed as a pro-oxidant-mediated pro-apoptotic effect on the UVA-damaged HEKa cells, which can be potentially involved in the carcinogenesis process. All the UF-OMWW fractions exerted an effective antioxidant activity in vitro and in cells when administered together with UV-radiation on HEKa. A pro-oxidative and pro-apoptotic effect on the UVA-damaged HEKa cells were observed, suggesting some protective actions of polyphenol fraction on keratinocyte cell cultures.


2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 3353-3365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Long Lin ◽  
Che-Sheng Chung ◽  
Hans G. Heine ◽  
Wen Chang

ABSTRACT An immunodominant antigen, p35, is expressed on the envelope of intracellular mature virions (IMV) of vaccinia virus. p35 is encoded by the viral late gene H3L, but its role in the virus life cycle is not known. This report demonstrates that soluble H3L protein binds to heparan sulfate on the cell surface and competes with the binding of vaccinia virus, indicating a role for H3L protein in IMV adsorption to mammalian cells. A mutant virus defective in expression of H3L (H3L−) was constructed; the mutant virus has a small plaque phenotype and 10-fold lower IMV and extracellular enveloped virion titers than the wild-type virus. Virion morphogenesis is severely blocked and intermediate viral structures such as viral factories and crescents accumulate in cells infected with the H3L− mutant virus. IMV from the H3L− mutant virus are somewhat altered and less infectious than wild-type virions. However, cells infected by the mutant virus form multinucleated syncytia after low pH treatment, suggesting that H3L protein is not required for cell fusion. Mice inoculated intranasally with wild-type virus show high mortality and severe weight loss, whereas mice infected with H3L− mutant virus survive and recover faster, indicating that inactivation of the H3L gene attenuates virus virulence in vivo. In summary, these data indicate that H3L protein mediates vaccinia virus adsorption to cell surface heparan sulfate and is important for vaccinia virus infection in vitro and in vivo. In addition, H3L protein plays a role in virion assembly.


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