scholarly journals Human cytomegalovirus sequences expressed in latently infected individuals promote a latent infection in vitro

Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 937-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicia Goodrum ◽  
Matthew Reeves ◽  
John Sinclair ◽  
Kevin High ◽  
Thomas Shenk
Keyword(s):  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Latent Infection ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Progeny Virus ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
Human Cd34 ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Low Passage

AbstractLatency enables human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) to persist in the hematopoietic cells of infected individuals indefinitely and prevents clearance of the pathogen. Despite its critical importance to the viral infectious cycle, viral mechanisms that contribute to latency have not been identified. We compared the ability of low-passage clinical and laboratory-adapted strains of HCMV to establish a latent infection in primary human CD34+ cells. The low-passage strains, Toledo and FIX, established an infection with the hallmarks of latency, whereas the laboratory strains, AD169 and Towne, replicated producing progeny virus. We hypothesized that ULb′ region of the genome, which is unique to low-passage strains, may encode a latency-promoting activity. We created and analyzed recombinant viruses lacking segments or individual open reading frames (ORFs) in the ULb′ region. One 5-kb segment, and more specifically the UL138 ORF, was required for HCMV to establish and/or maintain a latent infection in hematopoietic progenitor cells infected in vitro. This is the first functional demonstration of a virus-coded sequence required for HCMV latency. Importantly, UL138 RNA was expressed in CD34+ cells and monocytes from HCMV-seropositive, healthy individuals. UL138 might be a target for antivirals against latent virus.

scholarly journals Stress-Inducible Alternative Translation Initiation of Human Cytomegalovirus Latency Protein pUL138

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (18) ◽  
pp. 9472-9486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lora Grainger ◽  
Louis Cicchini ◽  
Michael Rak ◽  
Alex Petrucelli ◽  
Kerry D. Fitzgerald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Translation Initiation ◽  
Rna Splicing ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Reporter System ◽  
Entry Site ◽  
Sequence Element ◽  
Low Passage

ABSTRACT We have previously characterized a 21-kDa protein encoded by UL138 (pUL138) as a viral factor inherent to low-passage strains of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) that is required for latent infection in vitro. pUL138 is encoded on 3.6-, 2.7-, and 1.4-kb 3′ coterminal transcripts that are produced during productive and latent infections. pUL138 is encoded at the 3′ end of each transcript and is preceded by an extensive 5′ sequence (∼0.5 to 2.5 kb) containing several putative open reading frames (ORFs). We determined that three putative ORFs upstream of UL138 (UL133, UL135, and UL136) encode proteins. The UL138 transcripts are polycistronic, such that each transcript expresses pUL138 in addition to the most-5′ ORF. The upstream coding sequences (CDS) present a significant challenge for the translation of pUL138 in mammalian cells. We hypothesized that sequences 5′ of UL138 mediate translation initiation of pUL138 by alternative strategies. Accordingly, a 663-nucloetide (nt) sequence overlapping the UL136 CDS supported expression of a downstream cistron in a bicistronic reporter system. We did not detect cryptic promoter activity or RNA splicing events that could account for downstream cistron expression. These data are consistent with the sequence element functioning as an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Interestingly, pUL138 expression from the 3.6- and 2.7-kb transcripts was induced by serum stress, which concomitantly inhibited normal cap-dependent translation. Our work suggests that an alternative and stress-inducible strategy of translation initiation ensures expression of pUL138 under a variety of cellular contexts. The UL138 polycistronic transcripts serve to coordinate the expression of multiple proteins, including a viral determinant of HCMV latency.

scholarly journals Human Cytomegalovirus US28 Is Important for Latent Infection of Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 2959-2970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica S. Humby ◽  
Christine M. O'Connor
Keyword(s):  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Latent Infection ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Artificial Chromosome ◽  
Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Hematopoietic Progenitor ◽  
Recombinant Viruses

ABSTRACTHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) resides latently in hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). During latency, only a subset of HCMV genes is transcribed, including one of the four virus-encoded G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), US28. Although US28 is a multifunctional lytic protein, its function during latency has remained undefined. We generated a panel of US28 recombinant viruses in the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-derived clinical HCMV strain TB40/E-mCherry. We deleted the entire US28 open reading frame (ORF), deleted all four of the viral GPCR ORFs, or deleted three of the HCMV GPCRs but not the US28 wild-type protein. Using these recombinant viruses, we assessed the requirement for US28 during latency in the Kasumi-3in vitrolatency model system and in primaryex vivo-cultured CD34+HPCs. Our data suggest that US28 is required for latency as infection with viruses lacking the US28 ORF alone or in combination with the remaining HCMV-encoded GPCR results in transcription from the major immediate early promoter, the production of extracellular virions, and the production of infectious virus capable of infecting naive fibroblasts. The other HCMV GPCRs are not required for this phenotype as a virus expressing only US28 but not the remaining virus-encoded GPCRs is phenotypically similar to that of wild-type latent infection. Finally, we found that US28 copurifies with mature virions and is expressed in HPCs upon virus entry although its expression at the time of infection does not complement the US28 deletion latency phenotype. This work suggests that US28 protein functions to promote a latent state within hematopoietic progenitor cells.IMPORTANCEHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen that, once acquired, remains with its host for life. HCMV remains latent, or quiescent, in cells of the hematopoietic compartment and upon immune challenge can reactivate to cause disease. HCMV-encoded US28 is one of several genes expressed during latency although its biological function during this phase of infection has remained undefined. Here, we show that US28 aids in promoting experimental latency in tissue culture.

scholarly journals Truncated Erythropoietin Receptors Confer an In Vivo Selective Advantage in Gene-Modified Erythroid Cells Expressing Fetal Hemoglobin Due to BCL11A Interference

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2063-2063
Author(s):  
Naoya Uchida ◽  
Claire Drysdale ◽  
Morgan Yapundich ◽  
Jackson Gamer ◽  
Tina Nassehi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Fetal Hemoglobin ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Erythroid Cells ◽  
Post Transplant ◽  
Human Cd34 ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
Hbf Induction

Hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for hemoglobin disorders, such as sickle cell disease, requires high-level gene marking and robust therapeutic globin expression in erythroid cells (>20% of γ- or β-globin production) for widespread successful clinical application. We previously demonstrated that lentiviral transduction of a truncated human erythropoietin receptor (thEpoR) gene allows for erythropoietin-dependent selective proliferation of gene-modified human erythroid cells during in vitro differentiation (ASH 2017). In this study, we sought to evaluate whether thEpoR can enhance the phenotypic effect of a therapeutic vector in erythroid cells in xenograft mouse and autologous non-human primate transplantation models. To investigate this hypothesis, we designed lentiviral vectors encoding both thEpoR and BCL11A-targeting micro RNA-adapted short hairpin RNA (shmiBCL11A), driven off an erythroid specific ankyrin 1 (ANK1) promoter. Both selective proliferation and high-level fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction were observed in in vitro erythroid differentiation cultures using transduced human CD34+ cells. Healthy donor CD34+ cells were transduced with shmiBCL11A vector, thEpoR-shmiBCL11A vector, and GFP vector (control). Transduced cells were transplanted into immunodeficient NBSGW mice. Five months post-transplant, xenograft bone marrow cells were evaluated for human cell engraftment (human CD45+) and vector copy number (VCN) in both human CD34+ progenitor cells and glycophorin A+ (GPA+) erythroid cells. HbF production was also measured in GPA+ erythroid cells by reverse phase HPLC. We observed efficient transduction in transduced CD34+ cells in vitro (VCN 2.1-5.1) and similar human cell engraftment among all groups (84-89%). The VCN with thEpoR-shmiBCL11A transduction was 3-fold higher in human erythroid cells when compared to CD34+ cells (p<0.01), but not with shmiBCL11A or GFP vectors. HbF levels were significantly elevated in thEpoR-shmiBCL11A vector (43±6%, p<0.01) when compared to no transduction control (1±0%), but not for either shmiBCL11A vector (3±1%) or GFP vector (1±0%). These data demonstrate selective proliferation of gene-modified erythroid cells, as well as enhanced HbF induction with thEpoR-shmiBCL11A transduction. We then performed autologous rhesus CD34+ cell transplantation using either shmiBCL11A vector (142562 and RA0706, n=2, compared to a GPA promoter-derived shmiBCL11A vector) or thEpoR-shmiBCL11A vector (ZL50 and ZM24, n=2, compared to a Venus-encoding vector). Transduced CD34+ cells were transplanted into autologous rhesus macaques following 2x5Gy total body irradiation. Efficient transduction was observed in CD34+ cells in vitro among all 4 macaques (VCN 3.8-8.7) using a high-density culture protocol (Uchida N, Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2019). In shmiBCL11A transduction animals, engraftment of gene-modified cells (VCN 0.2-1.0) and robust HbF induction (14-16%) were observed 1 month post-transplant. However, VCN and HbF levels were reduced down to VCN ~0.1 and HbF ~0.4% in both animals 6 months post-transplant. In contrast, a thEpoR-shmiBCL11A transduction animal (ZL50) resulted in engraftment of gene-modified cells (VCN 0.8-1.0) and robust HbF induction (~18%) 1 month post-transplant, with both gene marking and HbF levels remaining high at VCN 0.6-0.7 and HbF ~15% 4 months post-transplant. These data suggest that shmiBCL11A transduction results in transient HbF induction in gene-modified erythroid cells, while thEpoR-based selective advantage allows for sustained HbF induction with shmiBCL11A. In summary, we developed erythroid-specific thEpoR-shmiBCL11A expressing vectors, enhancing HbF induction in gene-modified erythroid cells in xenograft mice and rhesus macaques. While further in vivo studies are desirable, the use of thEpoR appears to provide a selective advantage for gene-modified erythroid cells in gene therapy strategies for hemoglobin disorders. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract P019: Exosomes from Human CD34+ Cells: Critical Mediators of Proangiogenic Paracrine Effect of EPCs

2011 ◽  
Vol 109 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susmita Sahoo ◽  
Sol Misener ◽  
Tina Thorne ◽  
Meredith Millay ◽  
Kathryn M Schultz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Transplantation ◽  
Human Peripheral Blood ◽  
Limb Ischemia ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Paracrine Effect ◽  
Human Cd34 ◽  
Cd34 Cells

Local transplantation of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells has been shown to promote neovascularization in pre-clinical studies in models of myocardial and limb ischemia. In early phase clinical trials, transplantation of CD34+ cells has been associated with reduced angina, improved exercise time and reduced amputation rates. Several studies have suggested that paracrine effects by these pro-angiogenic cells mediate the effects induced by cell transplantation. We hypothesized that CD34+ cells secrete exosomes (Exo), which mediate at least a part of the therapeutic function of the cells. Methods and Results: We isolated Exo from the conditioned media of adult human peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cells. The angiogenic and therapeutic potency of CD34+ Exo was compared with the intact CD34+ cells and also with PB mononuclear cell (MNC) Exo. Exo from both CD34+ cells and MNC are 50–90nm in size, have cup shaped morphology, and carry known Exo-marker proteins such as CD63, TSG101 and Annexin V as shown by electron microscopy, Western blot and flow cytometry. Compared to CD34+ cells or MNC Exo, CD34+ Exo significantly induces in vitro angiogenic activities such as viability, proliferation and tube formation of HUVECs on matrigel- in a dose dependent manner. In vivo, CD34+ Exo stimulated significant neovascularization in mouse corneal angiogenesis assay (14±4 mm v MNC Exo, 4±1 mm, p<0.01) and incorporation of endothelial (CD31+) cells in mouse matrigel-plug assay (6±1.7% v CD34+ cells, 2±0.8%, p<0.01). Finally, in a mouse model of hind limb ischemia (HLI), CD34+ Exo significantly improved perfusion (ratio: 1.01±0.04 v 0.57±0.1, P<0.05), increased capillary density (1.8±0.3/HPF v 0.9±0.1/HPF, p<0.001) and prevented ischemic leg amputation (16% v 100%), as compared with MNC Exo. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that CD34+ Exo induce angiogenic activity and ischemic tissue repair in the absence of CD34+ cells, and suggest that Exo represent important mediators of the therapeutic effects associated with CD34+ cell therapy. We speculate that Exo derived from CD34+ cells may represent a significant component of the paracrine effect of progenitor-cell transplantation for therapeutic angiogenesis.

Isolation and characterization of human CD34−Lin− and CD34+Lin− hematopoietic stem cells using cell surface markers AC133 and CD7

Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (9) ◽  
pp. 2813-2820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Gallacher ◽  
Barbara Murdoch ◽  
Dongmei M. Wu ◽  
Francis N. Karanu ◽  
Mike Keeney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Surface Markers ◽  
Cell Surface Markers ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Human Cd34 ◽  
Cd34 Cells

Recent evidence indicates that human hematopoietic stem cell properties can be found among cells lacking CD34 and lineage commitment markers (CD34−Lin−). A major barrier in the further characterization of human CD34− stem cells is the inability to detect this population using in vitro assays because these cells only demonstrate hematopoietic activity in vivo. Using cell surface markers AC133 and CD7, subfractions were isolated within CD34−CD38−Lin− and CD34+CD38−Lin− cells derived from human cord blood. Although the majority of CD34−CD38−Lin− cells lack AC133 and express CD7, an extremely rare population of AC133+CD7− cells was identified at a frequency of 0.2%. Surprisingly, these AC133+CD7− cells were highly enriched for progenitor activity at a frequency equivalent to purified fractions of CD34+ stem cells, and they were the only subset among the CD34−CD38−Lin− population capable of giving rise to CD34+ cells in defined liquid cultures. Human cells were detected in the bone marrow of non-obese/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice 8 weeks after transplantation of ex vivo–cultured AC133+CD7− cells isolated from the CD34−CD38−Lin− population, whereas 400-fold greater numbers of the AC133−CD7− subset had no engraftment ability. These studies provide novel insights into the hierarchical relationship of the human stem cell compartment by identifying a rare population of primitive human CD34− cells that are detectable after transplantation in vivo, enriched for in vitro clonogenic capacity, and capable of differentiation into CD34+ cells.

scholarly journals Epigenetic Regulation of Varicella-Zoster Virus Open Reading Frames 62 and 63 in Latently Infected Human Trigeminal Ganglia

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (10) ◽  
pp. 4921-4926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Gary ◽  
Donald H. Gilden ◽  
Randall J. Cohrs
Keyword(s):  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation ◽  
Latent Infection ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Trigeminal Ganglia ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Glycoprotein C ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Human Chromosome 4 ◽  
Reading Frames

ABSTRACT Open reading frames (ORFs) 21, 29, 62, 63, and 66 of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are transcribed during latency in human ganglia. ORF 63 is the most frequently expressed gene, and ORF 62 encodes a transcriptional activator. The mechanisms regulating the expression of these genes are not well understood, although analyses of other alphaherpesviruses indicate a role for chromatin in virus gene regulation during latent infection. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to analyze the euchromatic state of ORFs 62 and 63 compared to the centromere from human chromosome 4 (heterochromatic) and the human glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter (euchromatic), we show that the promoters of ORFs 62 and 63 are associated with the histone protein H3K9(Ac) and thus maintained in a euchromatic state during latency. Conversely, the promoters of ORF 36 (thymidine kinase) and ORF 14 (glycoprotein C), genes expressed during lytic but not latent infection, were not enriched in the fraction of latently infected ganglia that bound to anti-H3K9(Ac) antibody. A ChIP assay using productively infected MeWo cells revealed that VZV ORFs 62, 63, 36, and 14 are all euchromatic. Together, these data indicate that the expression of the two latency-related VZV genes, ORFs 62 and 63, is regulated epigenetically through chromatin structure.

In vitro infection of megakaryocytes and their precursors by human cytomegalovirus

Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 487-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Crapnell ◽  
Esmail D. Zanjani ◽  
Aniruddho Chaudhuri ◽  
Joao L. Ascensao ◽  
Stephen St. Jeor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Hcmv Infection ◽  
Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation ◽  
Laboratory Strain ◽  
Allogeneic Bone ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
Hcmv Disease

Apart from congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, manifest HCMV disease occurs primarily in immunocompromised patients. In allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, HCMV is frequently associated with graft failure and cytopenias involving all hematopoietic lineages, but thrombocytopenia is the most commonly reported hematologic complication. The authors hypothesized that megakaryocytes (MK) may be a specific target for HCMV. Although the susceptibility of immature hematopoietic progenitors cells to HCMV has been established, a productive viral life cycle has only been linked to myelomonocytic maturation. The authors investigated whether HCMV can also infect MK and impair their function. They demonstrated that HCMV did not affect the thrombopoietin (TPO)-driven proliferation of CD34+ cells until MK maturation occurred. MK challenged with HCMV showed a 50% more rapid loss of viability than mock-infected cells. MK and their early precursors were clearly shown to be susceptible to HCMV in vitro, as evidenced by the presence of HCMV in magnetic column-purified CD42+ MK and 2-color fluorescent staining with antibodies directed against CD42a and HCMV pp65 antigen. These findings were confirmed by the infection of MK with a laboratory strain of HCMV containing the β-galactosidase (β-gal) gene. Using chromogenic β-gal substrates, HCMV was detected during MK differentiation of infected CD34+ cells and after infection of fully differentiated MK. Production of infectious virus was observed in cultures infected MK, suggesting that HCMV can complete its life cycle. These results demonstrate that MK are susceptible to HCMV infection and that direct infection of these cells in vivo may contribute to the thrombocytopenia observed in patients infected with HCMV.

Soluble Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Receptor With IL-6 Stimulates Megakaryopoiesis From Human CD34+ Cells Through Glycoprotein (gp)130 Signaling

Blood ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 93 (8) ◽  
pp. 2525-2532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingwei Sui ◽  
Kohichiro Tsuji ◽  
Yasuhiro Ebihara ◽  
Ryuhei Tanaka ◽  
Kenji Muraoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interleukin 6 ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Serum Free ◽  
Human Cd34 ◽  
Receptor Component ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
Interleukin 6 Receptor ◽  
Clonal Cultures

Abstract We have recently shown that stimulation of glycoprotein (gp) 130, the membrane-anchored signal transducing receptor component of IL-6, by a complex of human soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R) and IL-6 (sIL-6R/IL-6), potently stimulates the ex vivo expansion as well as erythropoiesis of human stem/progenitor cells in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF). Here we show that sIL-6R dose-dependently enhanced the generation of megakaryocytes (Mks) (IIbIIIa-positive cells) from human CD34+ cells in serum-free suspension culture supplemented with IL-6 and SCF. The sIL-6R/IL-6 complex also synergistically acted with IL-3 and thrombopoietin (TPO) on the generation of Mks from CD34+ cells, whereas the synergy of IL-6 alone with TPO was barely detectable. Accordingly, the addition of sIL-6R to the combination of SCF + IL-6 also supported a substantial number of Mk colonies from CD34+ cells in serum-free methylcellulose culture, whereas SCF + IL-6 in the absence of sIL-6R rarely induced Mk colonies. The addition of monoclonal antibodies against gp130 to the suspension and clonal cultures completely abrogated the megakaryopoiesis induced by sIL-6R/IL-6 in the presence of SCF, whereas an anti-TPO antibody did not, indicating that the observed megakaryopoiesis by sIL-6R/IL-6 is a response to gp130 signaling and independent of TPO. Furthermore, human CD34+ cells were subfractionated into two populations of IL-6R–negative (CD34+ IL-6R−) and IL-6R–positive (CD34+ IL-6R+) cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The CD34+IL-6R− cells produced a number of Mks as well as Mk colonies in cultures supplemented with sIL-6R/IL-6 or TPO in the presence of SCF. In contrast, CD34+ IL-6R+cells generated much less Mks and lacked Mk colony forming activity under the same conditions. Collectively, the present results indicate that most of the human Mk progenitors do not express IL-6R, and that sIL-6R confers the responsiveness of human Mk progenitors to IL-6. Together with the presence of functional sIL-6R in human serum and relative unresponsiveness of human Mk progenitors to IL-6 in vitro, current results suggest that the role of IL-6 may be mainly mediated by sIL-6R, and that the gp130 signaling initiated by the sIL-6R/ IL-6 complex is involved in human megakaryopoiesis in vivo.

scholarly journals Human Cytomegalovirus Resistance to Deoxyribosylindole Nucleosides Maps to a Transversion Mutation in the Terminase Subunit-Encoding GeneUL89

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian G. Gentry ◽  
Quang Phan ◽  
Ellie D. Hall ◽  
Julie M. Breitenbach ◽  
Katherine Z. Borysko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Wild Type Virus ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Term Administration ◽  
Transversion Mutation ◽  
Exon 1

ABSTRACTHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection can cause severe illnesses, including encephalopathy and mental retardation, in immunocompromised and immunologically immature patients. Current pharmacotherapies for treating systemic HCMV infections include ganciclovir, cidofovir, and foscarnet. However, long-term administration of these agents can result in serious adverse effects (myelosuppression and/or nephrotoxicity) and the development of viral strains with reduced susceptibility to drugs. The deoxyribosylindole (indole) nucleosides demonstrate a 20-fold greater activityin vitro(the drug concentration at which 50% of the number of plaques was reduced with the presence of drug compared to the number in the absence of drug [EC50] = 0.34 μM) than ganciclovir (EC50= 7.4 μM) without any observed increase in cytotoxicity. Based on structural similarity to the benzimidazole nucleosides, we hypothesize that the indole nucleosides target the HCMV terminase, an enzyme responsible for packaging viral DNA into capsids and cleaving the DNA into genome-length units. To test this hypothesis, an indole nucleoside-resistant HCMV strain was isolated, the open reading frames of the genes that encode the viral terminase were sequenced, and a G766C mutation in exon 1 ofUL89was identified; this mutation resulted in an E256Q change in the amino acid sequence of the corresponding protein. An HCMV wild-type strain, engineered with this mutation to confirm resistance, demonstrated an 18-fold decrease in susceptibility to the indole nucleosides (EC50= 3.1 ± 0.7 μM) compared to that of wild-type virus (EC50= 0.17 ± 0.04 μM). Interestingly, this mutation did not confer resistance to the benzimidazole nucleosides (EC50for wild-type HCMV = 0.25 ± 0.04 μM, EC50for HCMV pUL89 E256Q = 0.23 ± 0.04 μM). We conclude, therefore, that the G766C mutation that results in the E256Q substitution is unique for indole nucleoside resistance and distinct from previously discovered substitutions that confer both indole and benzimidazole nucleoside resistance (D344E and A355T).

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