scholarly journals Characterization of a Newly Identified 35-Amino-Acid Component of the Vaccinia Virus Entry/Fusion Complex Conserved in All Chordopoxviruses

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (24) ◽  
pp. 12822-12832 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S. Satheshkumar ◽  
Bernard Moss
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Virus Entry ◽  
Affinity Purification ◽  
Genetic Locus ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Hydrophobic Domain ◽  
Log Reduction ◽  
Virus Adsorption ◽  
Similar Phenotype

ABSTRACT The original annotation of the vaccinia virus (VACV) genome was limited to open reading frames (ORFs) of at least 65 amino acids. Here, we characterized a 35-amino-acid ORF (O3L) located between ORFs O2L and I1L. ORFs similar in length to O3L were found at the same genetic locus in all vertebrate poxviruses. Although amino acid identities were low, the presence of a characteristic N-terminal hydrophobic domain strongly suggested that the other poxvirus genes were orthologs. Further studies demonstrated that the O3 protein was expressed at late times after infection and incorporated into the membrane of the mature virion. An O3L deletion mutant was barely viable, producing tiny plaques and a 3-log reduction in infectious progeny. A mutant VACV with a regulated O3L gene had a similar phenotype in the absence of inducer. There was no apparent defect in virus morphogenesis, though O3-deficient virus had low infectivity. The impairment was shown to be at the stage of virus entry, as cores were not detected in the cytoplasm after virus adsorption. Furthermore, O3-deficient virus did not induce fusion of infected cells when triggered by low pH. These characteristics are hallmarks of a group of proteins that form the entry/fusion complex (EFC). Affinity purification experiments demonstrated an association of O3 with EFC proteins. In addition, the assembly or stability of the EFC was impaired when expression of O3 was repressed. Thus, O3 is the newest recognized component of the EFC and the smallest VACV protein shown to have a function.

scholarly journals A Conserved Sequence within the H2 Subunit of the Vaccinia Virus Entry/Fusion Complex Is Important for Interaction with the A28 Subunit and Infectivity

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (13) ◽  
pp. 6244-6250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gretchen E. Nelson ◽  
Timothy R. Wagenaar ◽  
Bernard Moss
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Glutamic Acid ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Virus Entry ◽  
Amino Acid Substitutions ◽  
Null Mutant ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Conserved Sequence ◽  
Amino Acid Segment

ABSTRACT The recently described vaccinia virus entry/fusion complex (EFC) comprises at least eight polypeptides that are conserved in all poxviruses. Neither the structure of the complex nor the roles of individual subunits are known. Here we provide evidence for an interaction between the H2 and A28 subunits in the context of a virus infection as well as in uninfected cells transfected with plasmids expressing the corresponding genes. We focused on a highly conserved 21-amino acid-segment in H2 that is flanked by cysteine residues. The effect of amino acid substitutions within the 21-amino-acid segment was determined by an infectivity complementation assay using a conditional H2-null mutant of vaccinia virus. Mutations that had no, moderate, or large negative effects on complementation were found. The latter group included glutamic acid substitutions of leucine and individual glycines and alanine substitution of both glycines within a LGYSG sequence. Mutations with the most pronounced effect on infectivity disrupted the interaction of H2 with A28 to the greatest extent in both infected and uninfected cells. These data indicate that the LGYSG sequence is important for the interaction of H2 with A28 and suggest that this sequence is buried within the EFC complex.

scholarly journals Loss of the vaccinia virus 35-amino acid hydrophobic O3 protein is partially compensated by mutations in the transmembrane domains of other entry proteins

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew I. Tak ◽  
Jeffrey L. Americo ◽  
Ulrike S. Diesterbeck ◽  
Bernard Moss
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Cell Attachment ◽  
Transmembrane Domains ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Base Substitution ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Large Plaque ◽  
Adaptive Mutations ◽  
Reading Frames

Eleven highly conserved proteins comprise the poxvirus entry-fusion complex (EFC). We focused on vaccinia virus (VACV) O3, a 35-amino acid, largely hydrophobic component of unknown specific function. Experimental evolution was carried out by blindly passaging a virus that was severely impaired in entry due to deletion of the gene encoding O3. Large plaque variants that arose spontaneously were discerned by round four and their numbers increased thereafter. Genome sequencing of individual cloned viruses revealed mutations in predicted transmembrane domains of three open reading frames encoding proteins with roles in entry. There were frame-shift mutations in consecutive Ts in open reading frames F9L and D8L and a nonsynonymous base substitution in L5R. F9 and L5 are EFC proteins and D8 is involved in VACV cell attachment. The F9L mutation occurred by round four in each of three independant passages, whereas the L5R and D8L mutations were detected only after nearly all of the genomes already had the F9L mutation. Viruses with deletions of O3L and single or double F9L, L5R and D8L mutations were constructed by homologous recombination. In a single round of infection, viruses with adaptive mutations including F9L alone or in combination exhibited statistically significant higher virus titers than the parental O3L deletion mutant or the L5R or D8L mutants, consistent with the order of selection during the passages. Further analyses indicated that the adaptive F9L mutants also had higher infectivities, entered cells more rapidly and increased EFC assembly, which partially compensated for the loss of O3. IMPORTANCE Entry into cells is an essential first step in virus replication and an important target of vaccine- elicited immunity. For enveloped viruses, this step involves the fusion of viral and host membranes to form a pore allowing entry of the genome and associated proteins. Poxviruses are unique in that this function is mediated by an entry-fusion complex (EFC) of eleven transmembrane proteins rather than by one or a few. The large number of proteins has hindered investigation of their individual roles. We focused on O3, a predominantly hydrophobic 35 amino acid component of the vaccinia virus EFC, and found that spontaneous mutations in the transmembrane domains of certain other entry proteins can partially compensate for the absence of O3. The mutants exhibited increased infectivity, entry and assembly or stability of the EFC.

scholarly journals Vaccinia Virus F13L Protein with a Conserved Phospholipase Catalytic Motif Induces Colocalization of the B5R Envelope Glycoprotein in Post-Golgi Vesicles

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (16) ◽  
pp. 7528-7542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matloob Husain ◽  
Bernard Moss
Keyword(s):  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Plasmid Vector ◽  
Recombinant Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Type I ◽  
Golgi Vesicles ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Catalytic Motif ◽  
Green Fluorescent

ABSTRACT The wrapping of intracellular mature vaccinia virions by modifiedtrans-Golgi or endosomal cisternae to form intracellular enveloped virions is dependent on at least two viral proteins encoded by the B5R and F13L open reading frames. B5R is a type I integral membrane glycoprotein, whereas F13L is an unglycosylated, palmitylated protein with a motif that is conserved in a superfamily of phospholipid-metabolizing enzymes. Microscopic visualization of the F13L protein was achieved by fusing it to the enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP). F13L-GFP was functional when expressed by a recombinant vaccinia virus in which it replaced the wild-type F13L gene or by transfection of uninfected cells with a plasmid vector followed by infection with an F13L deletion mutant. In uninfected or infected cells, F13L-GFP was associated with Golgi cisternae and post-Golgi vesicles containing the LAMP 2 late endosomal-lysosomal marker. Association of F13L-GFP with vesicles was dependent on an intact phospholipase catalytic motif and sites of palmitylation. The B5R protein was also associated with LAMP2-containing vesicles when F13L-GFP was coexpressed, but was largely restricted to Golgi cisternae in the absence of F13L-GFP or when the F13L moiety was mutated. We suggest that the F13L protein, like its human phospholipase D homolog, regulates vesicle formation and that this process is involved in intracellular enveloped virion membrane formation.

scholarly journals Vaccinia virus hemagglutinin. A novel member of the immunoglobulin superfamily.

1989 ◽  
Vol 170 (2) ◽  
pp. 571-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Y Jin ◽  
Z L Li ◽  
Q Jin ◽  
Y W Hao ◽  
Y D Hou
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Functional Relationship ◽  
Immunoglobulin Superfamily ◽  
Hydrophobic Region ◽  
Acid Glycoprotein ◽  
Ig Superfamily ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Membrane Spanning ◽  
Human Cmv

Striking similarities between vaccinia virus hemagglutinin (VVHA) and proteins belonging to the Ig superfamily clearly indicate that VVHA, a 315-amino acid glycoprotein expressed on the surface of the infected cells, is a novel viral protein that can be added to the expanding list of the Ig superfamily. Its deduced amino acid sequence contains one Ig-like domain at the NH2 terminus, followed by two tandem repeating units and a hydrophobic region, suggestive of membrane spanning. The results offer an opportunity for the further study of the probable evolutionary and possible functional relationship between VVHA and other members of the Ig superfamily. Our observation, together with a recent finding that human CMV possibly encodes a protein similar to the MHC class I antigens (13), provides evidence supporting the fact that the viral capture of cellular Ig-related genes is more common than expected in vaccinia and other viruses, and that usage of an Ig-like domain as recognition signals might be extended from higher animals to animal viruses.

scholarly journals Evidence that GCD6 and GCD7, translational regulators of GCN4, are subunits of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for eIF-2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1920-1932 ◽  
Author(s):  
J L Bushman ◽  
A I Asuru ◽  
R L Matts ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Translational Control ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Translation Initiation Factor ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
High Molecular Weight Complex ◽  
Exchange Factor

Starvation of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for an amino acid signals increased translation of GCN4, a transcriptional activator of amino acid biosynthetic genes. We have isolated and characterized the GCD6 and GCD7 genes and shown that their products are required to repress GCN4 translation under nonstarvation conditions. We find that both GCD6 and GCD7 show sequence similarities to components of a high-molecular-weight complex (the GCD complex) that appears to be the yeast equivalent of translation initiation factor 2B (eIF-2B), which catalyzes GDP-GTP exchange on eIF-2. Furthermore, we show that GCD6 is 30% identical to the largest subunit of eIF-2B isolated from rabbit reticulocytes. Deletion of either GCD6 or GCD7 is lethal, and nonlethal mutations in these genes increase GCN4 translation in the same fashion described for defects in known subunits of eIF-2 or the GCD complex; derepression of GCN4 is dependent on short open reading frames in the GCN4 mRNA leader and occurs independently of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation by protein kinase GCN2, which is normally required to stimulate GCN4 translation. Together, our results provide evidence that GCD6 and GCD7 are subunits of eIF-2B in S. cerevisiae and further implicate this GDP-GTP exchange factor in gene-specific translational control.

scholarly journals Sequence and domain organization of scruin, an actin-cross-linking protein in the acrosomal process of Limulus sperm.

1995 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Way ◽  
M Sanders ◽  
C Garcia ◽  
J Sakai ◽  
P Matsudaira
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Limited Proteolysis ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Molar Ratio ◽  
Domain Organization ◽  
Ring Canals ◽  
Drosophila Protein ◽  
Reading Frames

The acrosomal process of Limulus sperm is an 80-microns long finger of membrane supported by a crystalline bundle of actin filaments. The filaments in this bundle are crosslinked by a 102-kD protein, scruin present in a 1:1 molar ratio with actin. Recent image reconstruction of scruin decorated actin filaments at 13-A resolution shows that scruin is organized into two equally sized domains bound to separate actin subunits in the same filament. We have cloned and sequenced the gene for scruin from a Limulus testes cDNA library. The deduced amino acid sequence of scruin reflects the domain organization of scruin: it consists of a tandem pair of homologous domains joined by a linker region. The domain organization of scruin is confirmed by limited proteolysis of the purified acrosomal process. Three different proteases cleave the native protein in a 5-kD Protease-sensitive region in the middle of the molecule to generate an NH2-terminal 47-kD and a COOH-terminal 56-kD protease-resistant domains. Although the protein sequence of scruin has no homology to any known actin-binding protein, it has similarities to several proteins, including four open reading frames of unknown function in poxviruses, as well as kelch, a Drosophila protein localized to actin-rich ring canals. All proteins that show homologies to scruin are characterized by the presence of an approximately 50-amino acid residue motif that is repeated between two and seven times. Crystallographic studies reveal this motif represents a four beta-stranded fold that is characteristic of the "superbarrel" structural fold found in the sialidase family of proteins. These results suggest that the two domains of scruin seen in EM reconstructions are superbarrel folds, and they present the possibility that other members of this family may also bind actin.

scholarly journals Cloning of fibA, Encoding an Immunogenic Subunit of the Fibril-Like Surface Structure ofPeptostreptococcus micros

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (8) ◽  
pp. 2485-2491 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. H. A. Kremer ◽  
J. J. E. Bijlsma ◽  
J. G. Kusters ◽  
J. de Graaff ◽  
T. J. M. van Steenbergen
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Surface Structure ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Periodontal Pathogen ◽  
Immunogold Electron Microscopy ◽  
Expression Library ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Secretion Signal ◽  
Specific Serum

ABSTRACT Although we are currently unaware of its biological function, the fibril-like surface structure is a prominent characteristic of the rough (Rg) genotype of the gram-positive periodontal pathogenPeptostreptococcus micros. The smooth (Sm) type of this species as well as the smooth variant of the Rg type (RgSm) lack these structures on their surface. A fibril-specific serum, as determined by immunogold electron microscopy, was obtained through adsorption of a rabbit anti-Rg type serum with excess bacteria of the RgSm type. This serum recognized a 42-kDa protein, which was subjected to N-terminal sequencing. Both clones of a λTriplEx expression library that were selected by immunoscreening with the fibril-specific serum contained an open reading frame, designatedfibA, encoding a 393-amino-acid protein (FibA). The 15-residue N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 42-kDa antigen was present at positions 39 to 53 in FibA; from this we conclude that the mature FibA protein contains 355 amino acids, resulting in a predicted molecular mass of 41,368 Da. The putative 38-residue signal sequence of FibA strongly resembles other gram-positive secretion signal sequences. The C termini of FibA and two open reading frames directly upstream and downstream of fibA exhibited significant sequence homology to the C termini of a group of secreted and surface-located proteins of other gram-positive cocci that are all presumably involved in anchoring of the protein to carbohydrate structures. We conclude that FibA is a secreted and surface-located protein and as such is part of the fibril-like structures.

scholarly journals Identification and Analysis of Genes Involved in Anaerobic Toluene Metabolism by Strain T1: Putative Role of a Glycine Free Radical

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1650-1656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter W. Coschigano ◽  
Thomas S. Wehrman ◽  
L. Y. Young
Keyword(s):  
Free Radical ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Molecular Mass ◽  
Cysteine Residue ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Pyruvate Formate Lyase ◽  
Calculated Molecular Mass ◽  
Acid Protein ◽  
Amino Acid Protein

ABSTRACT The denitrifying strain T1 is able to grow with toluene serving as its sole carbon source. Two mutants which have defects in this toluene utilization pathway have been characterized. A clone has been isolated, and subclones which contain tutD and tutE, two genes in the T1 toluene metabolic pathway, have been generated. ThetutD gene codes for an 864-amino-acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 97,600 Da. The tutE gene codes for a 375-amino-acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 41,300 Da. Two additional small open reading frames have been identified, but their role is not known. The TutE protein has homology to pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzymes. The TutD protein has homology to pyruvate formate-lyase enzymes, including a conserved cysteine residue at the active site and a conserved glycine residue that is activated to a free radical in this enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis of these two conserved amino acids shows that they are also essential for the function of TutD.

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