bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Replication of Reactivated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) in Latently Infected U1 Cells Transduced with an HIV-1 Long Terminal Repeat-Driven PKR cDNA Construct
Authors: Muto Nicholas F. , Martinand-Mari Camille , Adelson Martin E. , Suhadolnik Robert J.
Published: December 2019

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals with highly active antiretroviral therapy has effectively decreased viral load to undetectable levels. However, efforts to eliminate HIV-1 from these individuals have been unsuccessful, due to the presence of stable, latent viral reservoirs in resting and active CD4
+
T lymphocytes and macrophages. These latent populations have become critical targets in the effort to eradicate HIV-1 from infected individuals. The mechanisms of HIV-1 latency have been studied by using the HIV-1-infected promonocytic cell line U1. The interferon-inducible double-stranded RNA-dependent p68 protein kinase (PKR), a key enzyme in the host-mediated antiviral response, is known to be down-regulated during HIV-1 infection. Therefore, in order to evaluate the role of PKR in the inhibition of replication of reactivated HIV-1 in latently infected U1 cells, we have utilized cDNA constructs containing PKR under the transcriptional control of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat. One PKR-transduced clone, U1/106-4:27, inhibited the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced replication of HIV-1 by 99% compared to control U1 cells as measured by syncytium formation and HIV-1 p24 antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot analysis showed an increase in PKR expression through 96 h postinduction in the U1/106-4:27 clone, concomitant with maximal increases in phosphorylation of the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 and NF-κB activity at 72 h postinduction. These results demonstrate that overexpression of PKR can inhibit the replication of reactivated HIV-1 in latently infected cells and confirm the involvement of PKR in the interferon-associated antiviral pathway against HIV-1 infection. Additionally, treatment of the PKR-transduced U1/106-4:27 clone with the protease inhibitor saquinavir (250 nM) completely inhibited TNF-α-induced HIV-1 replication.
Nasal Immunization of Mice with Human Papillomavirus Type 16 (HPV-16) Virus-Like Particles or with the HPV-16 L1 Gene Elicits Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes in Vaginal Draining Lymph Nodes
Authors: Dupuy Catherine , Buzoni-Gatel Dominique , Touzé Antoine , Bout Daniel , Coursaget Pierre
Published: December 2019

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) infects the genital tract and is closely associated with the development of cervical cancer. HPV-16 initiates infection at the genital mucosal surface; thus, mucosal immune responses are likely to contribute to defense against HPV-16 infection. However, little information is available regarding the induction of immune responses in the genital tract mucosa. In this study, we evaluated the potential of intranasally administered papillomavirus vaccines to elicit both systemic and vaginal immune responses. HPV-16 virus-like particles (VLPs) produced by self-assembly of L1 protein and the HPV-16 L1 gene cloned into a mammalian expression vector were used as vaccines. Intranasally administered VLPs induced serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and vaginal IgA secretory antibodies. Very weak serum IgG and vaginal IgA responses were found after DNA immunization. Both splenic and vaginal lymphocytes could be activated by intranasal immunization with VLPs and the HPV-16 L1 gene. Activated CD4+Th1-like T cells were shown to synthesize gamma interferon, and activated CD8+T cells were demonstrated to be cytotoxic.
Picornavirus Internal Ribosome Entry Site Elements Target RNA Cleavage Events Induced by the Herpes Simplex Virus Virion Host Shutoff Protein
Authors: Elgadi Mabrouk M. , Smiley James R.
Published: December 2019

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) virion host shutoff (vhs) protein (UL41 gene product) is a component of the HSV virion tegument that triggers shutoff of host protein synthesis and accelerated mRNA degradation during the early stages of HSV infection. vhs displays weak amino acid sequence similarity to the fen-1 family of nucleases and suffices to induce accelerated RNA turnover through endoribonucleolytic cleavage events when it is expressed as the only HSV protein in a rabbit reticulocyte in vitro translation system. Although vhs selectively targets mRNAs in vivo, the basis for this selectivity remains obscure, since in vitro activity is not influenced by the presence of a 5′ cap or 3′ poly(A) tail. Here we show that vhs activity is greatly altered by placing an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) from encephalomyocarditis virus or poliovirus in the RNA substrate. Transcripts bearing the IRES were preferentially cleaved by the vhs-dependent endoribonuclease at multiple sites clustered in a narrow zone located immediately downstream of the element in a reaction that did not require ribosomes. Targeting was observed when the IRES was located at the 5′ end or placed at internal sites in the substrate, indicating that it is independent of position or sequence context. These data indicate that the vhs-dependent nuclease can be selectively targeted by specific
cis
-acting elements in the RNA substrate, possibly through secondary structure or a component of the translational machinery.
Incorporation of Wild-Type and C-Terminally Truncated Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor into Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Like Particles: Insight into the Processes Governing Glycoprotein Incorporation into Retroviral Particles
Authors: Henriksson Peter , Pfeiffer Tanya , Zentgraf Hanswalter , Alke Alexandra , Bosch Valerie
Published: December 2019

Previous results have indicated that incorporation of surface glycoprotein into retroviral particles is not a specific process and that many heterologous viral and cellular glycoproteins can be incorporated as long as they do not have long cytoplasmic C-terminal regions which were presumed to be sterically inhibitory. In this study, this concept has been directly examined by analyzing the incorporation of the wild-type human epidermal growth factor receptor (Wt-EGFR) and of a C-terminally truncated mutant of Wt-EGFR (Tr-EGFR) into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-like particles. Incorporation was directly analyzed at the protein level and by immunogold labelling of enriched HIV-like particles. In agreement with the above concept, Tr-EGFR, with only 7 C-terminal amino acids (aa), was efficiently incorporated into HIV-like particles. Incorporation of the Wt-EGFR species, with 542 C-terminal cytoplasmic aa, was reduced by a factor of about 5 in comparison to that of the Tr-EGFR species. However, the Wt-EGFR species was still very significantly present in the HIV-like particles. A series of control experiments verified that this represents genuine incorporation of Wt-EGFR into the membrane of HIV-like particles. These observations allow further speculation as to the processes governing glycoprotein incorporation into retroviral particles and indicate that the internal virus structure of HIV (in particular the matrix layer [MA]) can accommodate much larger heterologous cytoplasmic domains in incorporated glycoproteins than previously assumed.
Integrating Adenovirus–Adeno-Associated Virus Hybrid Vectors Devoid of All Viral Genes
Authors: Lieber André , Steinwaerder Dirk S. , Carlson Cheryl A. , Kay Mark A.
Published: December 2019

Recently, we demonstrated that inverted repeat sequences inserted into first-generation adenovirus (Ad) vector genomes mediate precise genomic rearrangements resulting in vector genomes devoid of all viral genes that are efficiently packaged into functional Ad capsids. As a specific application of this finding, we generated adenovirus–adeno-associated virus (AAV) hybrid vectors, first-generation Ad vectors containing AAV inverted terminal repeat sequences (ITRs) flanking a reporter gene cassette inserted into the E1 region. We hypothesized that the AAV ITRs present within the hybrid vector genome could mediate the formation of rearranged vector genomes (ΔAd.AAV) and stimulate transgene integration. We demonstrate here that ΔAd.AAV vectors are efficiently generated as by-products of first-generation adenovirus-AAV vector amplification. ΔAd.AAV genomes contain only the transgene flanked by AAV ITRs, Ad packaging signals, and Ad ITRs. ΔAd.AAV vectors can be produced at a high titer and purity. In vitro transduction properties of these deleted hybrid vectors were evaluated in direct comparison with first-generation Ad and recombinant AAV vectors (rAAVs). The ΔAd.AAV hybrid vector stably transduced cultured cells with efficiencies comparable to rAAV. Since cells transduced with ΔAd.AAV did not express cytotoxic viral proteins, hybrid viruses could be applied at very high multiplicities of infection to increase transduction rates. Southern analysis and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis suggested that ΔAd.AAV integrated randomly as head-to-tail tandems into the host cell genome. The presence of two intact AAV ITRs was crucial for the production of hybrid vectors and for transgene integration. ΔAd.AAV vectors, which are straightforward in their production, represent a promising tool for stable gene transfer in vitro and in vivo.
Amino Acid Changes at Positions 173 and 187 in the Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Surface Glycoprotein Induce Specific Neutralizing Antibodies
Authors: Blanchard Sophie , Astier-Gin Thérèse , Tallet Béatrice , Moynet Daniel , Londos-Gagliardi Danielle , Guillemain Bernard
Published: December 2019

The nucleotide sequence of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is highly conserved, most strains sharing at least 95% sequence identity. This sequence conservation is also found in the viralenvgene, which codes for the two envelope glycoproteins that play a major role in the induction of a protective immune response against the virus. However, recent reports have indicated that some variations inenvsequences may induce incomplete cross-reactivity between HTLV-1 strains. To identify the amino acid changes that might be involved in the antigenicity of neutralizable epitopes, we constructed expression vectors coding for the envelope glycoproteins of two HTLV-1 isolates (2060 and 2072) which induced human antibodies with different neutralization patterns. The amino acid sequences of the envelope glycoproteins differed at four positions. Vectors coding for chimeric or point-mutated envelope proteins were derived from 2060 and 2072 HTLV-1envgenes. Syncytium formation induced by the wild-type or mutated envelope proteins was inhibited by human sera with different neutralizing specificities. We thus identified two amino acid changes, I173→V and A187→T, that play an important role in the antigenicity of neutralizable epitopes located in this region of the surface envelope glycoprotein.
Mucosal but Not Parenteral Immunization with Purified Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Virus-Like Particles Induces Neutralizing Titers of Antibodies throughout the Estrous Cycle of Mice
Authors: Nardelli-Haefliger Denise , Roden Richard , Balmelli Carole , Potts Alexandra , Schiller John , De Grandi Pierre
Published: December 2019

We have recently shown that nasal immunization of anesthetized mice with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) virus-like particles (VLPs) is highly effective at inducing both neutralizing immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG in genital secretions, while parenteral immunization induced only neutralizing IgG. Our data also demonstrated that both isotypes are similarly neutralizing according to an in vitro pseudotyped neutralization assay. However, it is known that various amounts of IgA and IgG are produced in genital secretions along the estrous cycle. Therefore, we have investigated how this variation influences the amount of HPV16 neutralizing antibodies induced after immunization with VLPs. We have compared parenteral and nasal protocols of vaccination with daily samplings of genital secretions of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis showed that total IgA and IgG inversely varied along the estrous cycle, with the largest amounts of IgA in proestrus-estrus and the largest amount of IgG in diestrus. This resulted in HPV16 neutralizing titers of IgG only being achieved during diestrus upon parenteral immunization. In contrast, nasal vaccination induced neutralizing titers of IgA plus IgG throughout the estrous cycle, as confirmed by in vitro pseudotyped neutralization assays. Our data suggest that mucosal immunization might be more efficient than parenteral immunization at inducing continuous protection of the female genital tract.
The Kissing-Loop Motif Is a Preferred Site of 5′ Leader Recombination during Replication of SL3-3 Murine Leukemia Viruses in Mice
Authors: Lund Anders H. , Mikkelsen Jacob Giehm , Schmidt Jörg , Duch Mogens , Pedersen Finn Skou
Published: December 2019

A panel of mouse T-cell lymphomas induced by SL3-3 murine leukemia virus (MLV) and three primer binding site mutants thereof (A. H. Lund, J. Schmidt, A. Luz, A. B. Sørensen, M. Duch, and F. S. Pedersen, J. Virol. 73:6117–6122, 1999) were analyzed for the occurrence of recombination between the exogenous input virus and endogenous MLV-like sequences within the 5′ leader region. Evidence of recombination within the region studied was found in 14 of 52 tumors analyzed. Sequence analysis of a ∼330-bp fragment of 44 chimeric proviruses, encompassing the U5, the primer binding site, and the upstream part of the 5′ untranslated region, enabled us to map recombination sites, guided by distinct scattered nucleotide differences. In 30 of 44 analyzed sequences, recombination was mapped to a 33-nucleotide similarity window coinciding with the kissing-loop stem-loop motif implicated in dimerization of the diploid genome. Interestingly, the recombination pattern preference found in replication-competent viruses from T-cell tumors is very similar to the pattern previously reported for retroviral vectors in cell culture experiments. The data therefore sustain the hypothesis that the kissing loop, presumably via a role in RNA dimer formation, constitutes a hot spot for reverse transcriptase-mediated recombination in MLV.
Association of Murine Leukemia Virus Pol with Virions, Independent of Gag-Pol Expression
Authors: Buchschacher Gary L. , Yu Lei , Murai Fukashi , Friedmann Theodore , Miyanohara Atsushi
Published: December 2019

During the replication cycle of murine leukemia virus (MLV), Pol is normally synthesized as part of a Gag-Pol fusion protein. In this study, the ability of free MLV Pol to be incorporated into virions was examined. When MLV Gag and MLV Pol were coexpressed from separate plasmids in cells, reverse transcriptase (RT) activity associated with Gag core particles at a slightly lower level than did RT activity generated from wild-type Gag-Pol expression. Particles produced in this manner were somewhat less infectious than those produced with wild-type Gag-Pol. A smaller amount of MLV Pol also associated with heterologous human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag cores.
Species-Specific, Postentry Barriers to Primate Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Hofmann Wolfgang , Schubert David , LaBonte Jason , Munson Linda , Gibson Susan , Scammell Jonathan , Ferrigno Paul , Sodroski Joseph
Published: December 2019

By using replication-defective vectors derived from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac), and murine leukemia virus (MuLV), all of which were pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G glycoprotein, the efficiency of postentry, early infection events was examined in target cells of several mammalian species. Titers of HIV-1 vectors were significantly lower than those of SIVmacand MuLV vectors in most cell lines and primary cells from Old World monkeys. By contrast, most New World monkey cells exhibited much lower titers for the SIVmacvector compared with those of the HIV-1 vector. Prosimian cells were resistant to both HIV-1 and SIVmacvectors, although the MuLV vector was able to infect these cells. Cells from other mammalian species were roughly equivalent in susceptibility to the three vectors, with the exception of rabbit cells, which were specifically resistant to the HIV-1 vector. The level of HIV-1 vector expression was very low in transduced cells of rodent, rabbit, cow, and pig origin. Early postentry restriction of primate immunodeficiency virus infection exhibits patterns largely coincident with species borders and applies to diverse cell types within an individual host, suggesting the involvement of species-specific, widely expressed cellular factors.
Soluble Forms of the Subgroup A Avian Leukosis Virus [ALV(A)] Receptor Tva Significantly Inhibit ALV(A) Infection In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Holmen Sheri L. , Salter Donald W. , Payne William S. , Dodgson Jerry B. , Hughes Stephen H. , Federspiel Mark J.
Published: December 2019

The interactions between the subgroup A avian leukosis virus [ALV(A)] envelope glycoproteins and soluble forms of the ALV(A) receptor Tva were analyzed both in vitro and in vivo by quantitating the ability of the soluble Tva proteins to inhibit ALV(A) entry into susceptible cells. Two soluble Tva proteins were tested: the 83-amino-acid Tva extracellular region fused to two epitope tags (sTva) or fused to the constant region of the mouse immunoglobulin G heavy chain (sTva-mIgG). Replication-competent ALV-based retroviral vectors with subgroup B or C
env
were used to deliver and express the two soluble
tv-a
(
stva
) genes in avian cells. In vitro, chicken embryo fibroblasts or DF-1 cells expressing sTva or sTva-mIgG proteins were much more resistant to infection by ALV(A) (∼200-fold) than were control cells infected by only the vector. The antiviral effect was specific for ALV(A), which is consistent with a receptor interference mechanism. The antiviral effect of sTva-mIgG was positively correlated with the amount of sTva-mIgG protein. In vivo, the
stva
genes were delivered and expressed in line 0 chicken embryos by the ALV(B)-based vector RCASBP(B). Viremic chickens expressed relatively high levels of
stva
and
stva-mIgG
RNA in a broad range of tissues. High levels of sTva-mIgG protein were detected in the sera of chickens infected with RCASBP(B)stva-mIgG. Viremic chickens infected with RCASBP(B) alone, RCASBP(B)stva, or RCASBP(B)stva-mIgG were challenged separately with ALV(A) and ALV(C). Both sTva and sTva-mIgG significantly inhibited infection by ALV(A) (95 and 100% respectively) but had no measurable effect on ALV(C) infection. The results of this study indicate that a soluble receptor can effectively block infection of at least some retroviruses and demonstrates the utility of the ALV experimental system in characterizing the mechanism(s) of viral entry.
Putative RNA Capping Activities Encoded by Brome Mosaic Virus: Methylation and Covalent Binding of Guanylate by Replicase Protein 1a
Authors: Ahola Tero , Ahlquist Paul
Published: December 2019

Brome mosaic virus (BMV) RNA replication is directed by two virus-encoded proteins, 1a and 2a. The amino-terminal half of 1a is a distant homolog of alphavirus nonstructural protein nsP1, which has been implicated in capping viral RNAs. In this study, we examined the enzymatic activities of BMV 1a expressed in yeast, where the protein is fully functional in RNA replication. 1a methylated GTP, dGTP, and the cap analogs GpppG and GpppA, using
S
-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl donor. Product analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that 1a methylation was specific for guanine position 7. Additionally, 1a interacted with GTP to form a covalent 1a-m
7
GMP complex. This reaction was specific for GTP, required AdoMet, and was accompanied by transfer of
3
H-methyl from AdoMet to the covalent 1a-guanylate complex. The covalent complex could be immunoprecipitated by 1a antibodies. The 1a-m
7
GMP complex was inhibited in catalyzing further methyltransferase reactions. Mutation of conserved amino acids in the N-terminal half of 1a reduced both methyltransferase and covalent complex formation activities to very low or undetectable levels. Covalent 1a-guanylate complex formation took place in similar, AdoMet-dependent fashion in extracts of BMV-infected barley protoplasts. These results show that BMV 1a has activities similar to those of alphavirus nsP1, demonstrating conservation of these putative capping functions across a wide span of sequence divergence within the alphavirus-like superfamily. Conservation of this unusual combination of functions also supports the inference that the superfamily caps viral RNAs by an unusual pathway proceeding via a m
7
GMP intermediate.
In Vitro Infection of Ovine Cell Lines by Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus
Authors: Palmarini Massimo , Sharp J. Michael , Lee Christine , Fan Hung
Published: December 2019

Sheep pulmonary adenomatosis (SPA), also known as jaagsiekte or ovine pulmonary carcinoma, is a contagious lung cancer of sheep, originating from type II pneumocytes and Clara cells. Previous studies have implicated a type D retrovirus (jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus [JSRV]) as the causative agent of SPA. We recently isolated a proviral clone of JSRV from an animal with a spontaneous case of SPA (JSRV
21
) and showed that it harbors an infectious and oncogenic virus. This demonstrated that JSRV is necessary and sufficient to induce SPA. A major impediment in research on JSRV has been the lack of an in vitro tissue culture system for the virus. The experiments reported here show the first successful in vitro infection with this virus, using the JSRV
21
clone. JSRV
21
virus was obtained by transiently transfecting human 293T cells with a plasmid containing the JSRV
21
provirus driven by the human cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter. Virus produced in this manner exhibited reverse transcriptase (RT) activity that banded at 1.15 g/ml in sucrose density gradients. Infection of concentrated JSRV
21
into ovine choroid plexus (CP), testes (OAT-T3), turbinate (FLT), and intestinal carcinoma (ST6) cell lines resulted in establishment of infection as measured by PCR amplification. Evidence that this reflected genuine infection included the fact that heat inactivation of the virus eliminated it, the levels of viral DNA increased with passage of the infected cells, and the infected cells released active RT as measured by the sensitive product enhancement RT assay. The RT activity released from the infected cells banded at 1.15 g/ml, and JSRV
21
provirus was transmitted from infected cells to uninfected ones by cocultivation. However, the amount of virus released from infected cells was low. These results suggest that the JSRV receptor is present on many ovine cell types and that the observed restriction of JSRV expression in vivo to tumor cells might be controlled by factors other than the viral receptor. Finally we tagged the U3 of pJSRV
21
with the bacterial
supF
gene, an amber suppressor tRNA gene. The resulting clone, termed pJSRV

supF

, is infectious in vitro. It may be a useful tool for future studies on viral DNA integration, since the normal sheep genome contains 15 to 20 copies of highly JSRV-related endogenous sequences that cross-react with many JSRV hybridization probes.
A Hydrophobic Patch in Ecotropic Murine Leukemia Virus Envelope Protein Is the Putative Binding Site for a Critical Tyrosine Residue on the Cellular Receptor
Authors: Zavorotinskaya Tatiana , Albritton Lorraine M.
Published: December 2019

In the receptor for ecotropic murine leukemia viruses, tyrosine 235 contributes a critical hydrophobic side chain to the virus-receptor interaction (14). Here we report that tryptophan 142 in ecotropic Moloney murine leukemia virus envelope protein is essential to virus binding and infection. Replacement of tryptophan 142 by alanine or serine resulted in misfolding. However, replacement by methionine (W142M) allowed correct folding of the majority of glycoprotein molecules. W142M virus showed a marked reduction in virus binding and was almost noninfectious, suggesting that tryptophan 142 is involved in receptor binding. In contrast, W142Y virus containing a replacement of tryptophan 142 with an aromatic residue (tyrosine) was as efficient as wild-type virus in infection and binding of cells expressing the wild-type receptor. However, W142Y virus was 100-fold less efficient than wild-type virus in infection of cells expressing a mutant receptor containing tryptophan instead of the critical tyrosine. These results strongly support tryptophan 142 being an essential residue on the virus envelope protein that interacts directly with the critical hydrophobic residue at position 235 of the ecotropic receptor. Tryptophan 142 forms one side of a shallow hydrophobic pocket on the surface of the envelope protein, suggesting that it might comprise the complete putative binding site for tyrosine 235. We discuss the implications of our findings with respect to two models of the envelope protein trimer. Interestingly, both models place tryptophan 142 at the interface between adjacent subunits of the trimer.
A Single Rep Protein Initiates Replication of Multiple Genome Components of Faba Bean Necrotic Yellows Virus, a Single-Stranded DNA Virus of Plants
Authors: Timchenko Tatiana , de Kouchkovsky Françoise , Katul Lina , David Chantal , Vetten Heinrich Josef , Gronenborn Bruno
Published: December 2019

Faba bean necrotic yellows virus (FBNYV) belongs to the nanoviruses, plant viruses whose genome consists of multiple circular single-stranded DNA components. Eleven distinct DNAs, 5 of which encode different replication initiator (Rep) proteins, have been identified in two FBNYV isolates. Origin-specific DNA cleavage and nucleotidyl transfer activities were shown for Rep1 and Rep2 proteins in vitro, and their essential tyrosine residues that catalyze these reactions were identified by site-directed mutagenesis. In addition, we showed that Rep1 and Rep2 proteins hydrolyze ATP, and by changing the key lysine residue in the proteins’ nucleoside triphosphate binding sites, demonstrated that this ATPase activity is essential for multiplication of virus DNA in vivo. Each of the five FBNYV Rep proteins initiated replication of the DNA molecule by which it was encoded, but only Rep2 was able to initiate replication of all the six other genome components. Furthermore, of the five
rep
components, only the Rep2-encoding DNA was always detected in 55 FBNYV samples from eight countries. These data provide experimental evidence for a master replication protein encoded by a multicomponent single-stranded DNA virus.
Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 Is Required for Viral Induction of Beta Interferon in Primary Cardiac Myocyte Cultures
Authors: Noah Diana L. , Blum Mary Ann , Sherry Barbara
Published: December 2019

Viral myocarditis affects an estimated 5 to 20% of the human population. The antiviral cytokine beta interferon (IFN-β) is critical for protection against viral myocarditis in mice. That is, nonmyocarditic reoviruses induce myocarditis in mice that lack IFN-α/β, and nonmyocarditic reoviruses both induce more IFN-β and are more sensitive to the antiviral effects of IFN-β than myocarditic reoviruses in primary cardiac myocyte cultures. Induction of IFN-β in certain cell types involves viral activation of the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3). To address whether IRF-3 can induce IFN-β in cardiac myocytes, primary cardiac myocyte cultures and control L929 cells were transfected with a plasmid constitutively expressing IRF-3. Overexpression of IRF-3 resulted in induction of IFN-β in the absence of viral infection in both cell types. To address whether IRF-3 is required for viral induction of IFN-β, cell cultures were transfected with a plasmid constitutively expressing a dominant negative IRF-3 protein. The dominant negative IRF-3 reduced reovirus induction of IFN-β in control L929 cells and completely eliminated induction in primary cardiac myocyte cultures. This provides the first identification of a cardiac cellular factor required for viral induction of IFN-β and the first report of any cell type requiring IRF-3 for this response.
Conformational Changes in Simian Virus 40 Rearranged Regulatory Regions: Effects of the 21-Base-Pair Promoters and Their Location
Authors: Wilderman Paula J. , Hu Bugen , Woodworth Mary E.
Published: December 2019

Simian virus 40 (SV40) is an excellent model system for investigating the
cis
- and
trans
-acting factors involved in eukaryotic DNA replication because it uses host enzymes, with the exception of the virus-encoded T-antigen (T-ag), to replicate its genome. Although its origin of replication (
ori
) is essential for DNA replication, there are transcriptional promoters and enhancers that affect DNA replication efficiency. T-ag binds to sites I to III within and around
ori
with different affinities and induces structural changes. We were interested in determining if the position of the promoters relative to
ori
influences the binding of T-ag to these regions. Furthermore, we characterized the DNA structural changes that occur as a result of protein binding when the promoters are absent and also when the promoters are moved from their wild-type position upstream of
ori
to a position downstream of
ori
. Using sequence- and conformation-specific chemical probes, our data indicate that (i) the conformation of site I is influenced by T-ag binding and by flanking sequences, (ii) the conformation of the promoters after T-ag binding is dependent on their location, and (iii) unwinding of
ori
is influenced by the location of the promoters and their presence or absence. These differences in DNA conformation may help explain decreases in relative DNA replication efficiency that occur when the promoters are absent or located downstream of
ori.
Transfer of Human CD4+T Lymphocytes Producing Beta Interferon in Hu-PBL-SCID Mice Controls Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Vieillard Vincent , Jouveshomme Stephane , Leflour Nicole , Jean-Pierre Eric , Debre Patrice , De Maeyer Edward , Autran Brigitte
Published: December 2019

Beta interferon (IFN-β) exerts pleiotropic antiretroviral activities and affects many different stages of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectious cycle in IFN-treated cells. To explore whether transfer of genetically engineered human CD4+T cells producing constitutively low amounts of IFN-β can eradicate HIV in vivo, we developed a new Hu-PBL-SCID mouse model supporting a persistent, replicative HIV infection maintained by periodic reinoculations of activated human CD4+T cells. Transferring human CD4+T cells containing the IFN-β retroviral vector drastically reduced the preexisting HIV infection and enhanced CD4+T-cell survival and Th1 cytokine expression. Furthermore, in 40% of the Hu-PBL-SCID mice engrafted with IFN-β-transduced CD4+T cells, HIV-1 was undetectable in vivo as well as after cocultivation of mouse tissues with human phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphoblasts. These results indicate that a therapeutic strategy based upon IFN-β transduction of CD4+T cells may be an approach to controlling a preexisting HIV infection and allowing immune restoration.
Brome Mosaic Virus RNA Replication Proteins 1a and 2a Colocalize and 1a Independently Localizes on the Yeast Endoplasmic Reticulum
Authors: Restrepo-Hartwig María , Ahlquist Paul
Published: December 2019

The universal membrane association of positive-strand RNA virus RNA replication complexes is implicated in their function, but the intracellular membranes used vary among viruses. Brome mosaic virus (BMV) encodes two mutually interacting RNA replication proteins: 1a, which contains RNA capping and helicase-like domains, and the polymerase-like 2a protein. In cells from the natural plant hosts of BMV, 1a and 2a colocalize on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). 1a and 2a also direct BMV RNA replication and subgenomic mRNA synthesis in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae, but whether the distribution of 1a, 2a, and active replication complexes in yeast duplicates that in plant cells has not been determined. For yeast expressing 1a and 2a and replicating BMV genomic RNA3, we used double-label confocal immunofluorescence to define the localization of 1a, 2a, and viral RNA and to explore the determinants of replication complex targeting. As in plant cells, 1a and 2a colocalized on and were retained on the yeast ER, with no detectable accumulation in the Golgi apparatus. 1a and 2a were distributed over most of the ER surface, with strongest accumulation on the perinuclear ER. In vivo labeling with bromo-UTP showed that the sites of 1a and 2a accumulation were the sites of nascent viral RNA synthesis. In situ hybridization showed that completed viral RNA products accumulated predominantly in the immediate vicinity of replication complexes but that some, possibly more mature cells also accumulated substantial viral RNA in the surrounding cytoplasm distal to replication complexes. Additionally, we find that 1a localizes to the ER when expressed in the absence of other viral factors. These results show that BMV RNA replication in yeast duplicates the normal localization of replication complexes, reveal the intracellular distribution of RNA replication products, and show that 1a is at least partly responsible for the ER localization and retention of the RNA replication complex.
Determinants of CD4 Independence for a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Variant Map outside Regions Required for Coreceptor Specificity
Authors: LaBranche Celia C. , Hoffman Trevor L. , Romano Josephine , Haggarty Beth S. , Edwards Terri G. , Matthews Thomas J. , Doms Robert W. , Hoxie James A.
Published: December 2019

Although infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) typically requires an interaction between the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env), CD4, and a chemokine receptor, CD4-independent isolates of HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus have been described. The structural basis and underlying mechanisms for this phenotype are unknown. We have derived a variant of HIV-1/IIIB, termed IIIBx, that acquired the ability to utilize CXCR4 without CD4. This virus infected CD4-negative T and B cells and fused with murine 3T3 cells that expressed human CXCR4 alone. A functional IIIBxenvclone exhibited several mutations compared to the CD4-dependent HXBc2env, including the striking loss of five glycosylation sites. By constructingenvchimeras with HXBc2, the determinants for CD4 independence were shown to map outside the V1/V2 and V3 hypervariable loops, which determine chemokine receptor specificity, and at least partly within an area on the gp120 core that has been implicated in forming a conserved chemokine receptor binding site. We also identified a point mutation in the C4 domain that could render the IIIBxenvclone completely CD4 dependent. Mutations in the transmembrane protein (TM) were also required for CD4 independence. Remarkably, when the V3 loop of a CCR5-tropic Env was substituted for the IIIBx Env, the resulting chimera was found to utilize CCR5 but remained CD4 independent. These findings show that Env determinants for chemokine receptor specificity are distinct from those that mediate CD4-independent use of that receptor for cell fusion and provide functional evidence for multiple steps in the interaction of Env with chemokine receptors. Combined with our observation that the conserved chemokine receptor binding site on gp120 is more exposed on the IIIBx gp120 (T. L. Hoffman, C. C. LaBranche, W. Zhang, G. Canziani, J. Robinson, I. Chaiken, J. A. Hoxie, and R. W. Doms, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:6359–6364, 1999), the findings from this study suggest novel approaches to derive and design Envs with exposed chemokine receptor binding sites for vaccine purposes.
The Activation Domain of Herpesvirus Saimiri R Protein Interacts with the TATA-Binding Protein
Authors: Hall Kersten T. , Stevenson Alex J. , Goodwin Delyth J. , Gibson Paul C. , Markham Alex F. , Whitehouse Adrian
Published: December 2019

The herpesvirus saimiri open reading frame (ORF) 50 produces two transcripts. The first is spliced, contains a single intron, and is detected at early times during the productive cycle, whereas the second is expressed later and is produced from a promoter within the second exon. Analysis of their gene products has shown that they function as sequence specific transactivators. In this report, we demonstrate that the carboxy terminus of ORF 50b contains an activation domain which is essential for transactivation. This domain contains positionally conserved hydrophobic residues found in a number of activation domains, including the herpes simplex virus VP16 and the Epstein-Barr virus R proteins. Mutational analysis of this domain demonstrates that these conserved hydrophobic residues are essential for ORF 50 transactivation capability. Furthermore, this domain is required for the interaction between the ORF 50 proteins and the basal transcription factor TATA-binding protein.
Expression of the Pseudorabies Virus Latency-Associated Transcript Gene during Productive Infection of Cultured Cells
Authors: Jin Ling , Scherba Gail
Published: December 2019

Like other alphaherpesviruses, pseudorabies virus (PrV) exhibits restricted gene expression during latency. These latency-associated transcripts (LATs) are derived from the region located within 0.69 to 0.77 map units of the viral genome. However, the presence of such viral RNAs during a productive infection has not been described. Although several transcripts originating between 0.706 to 0.737 map units have been detected in PrV-infected cultured cells, their relationship to the LATs has not been examined. Therefore, to determine if any correlation exists between PrV LAT gene expression in the natural and laboratory systems, transcription from the LAT gene region during lytic infection of cultured neuronal and nonneuronal cells was evaluated. A Northern blot assay using single-stranded RNA probes complementary to the spliced in vivo 8.4-kb largest latency transcript (LLT) detected 1.0-, 2.0-, and 8.0-kb poly(A) RNAs in all PrV-infected cells lines. The 1.0- and 8.0-kb transcripts partially overlapped the first and second exons of the LLT, respectively. In contrast, portions of both LLT exons comprised the 2.0-kb RNA sequence, which lacked the same intron as the LLT. Generation of this transcript began about 243 bp downstream of the LLT initiation site and terminated near the junction of BamHI fragments 8′ and 8. Its synthesis was inhibited by cycloheximide but not by cytosine β-
d
-arabinofuranoside, which suggests that the 2.0-kb RNA is not an immediate-early gene product. Thus, although the PrV LAT gene is transcriptionally active during a productive infection of cultured cells, the resulting RNAs are distinctive from the LLT.
Latent Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Interacts with RING3, a Homolog of the
Drosophila
Female Sterile Homeotic (
fsh
) Gene
Authors: Platt Georgina M. , Simpson Guy R. , Mittnacht Sibylle , Schulz Thomas F.
Published: December 2019

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) is the likely infectious cause of Kaposi’s sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and some cases of multicentric Castleman’s disease. Its latent nuclear antigen (LANA) is expressed in the nuclei of latently infected cells and may play a role in the persistence of episomal viral DNA in dividing cells. Here we report that LANA interacts with RING3, a nuclear protein and member of the
Drosophila
fsh (female sterile homeotic) family of proteins, some of which have previously been implicated in controlling gene expression. Binding of RING3 to LANA involves the ET domain, characteristic of fsh-related proteins, suggesting that this highly conserved region is involved in protein-protein interactions. The interaction between RING3 and LANA results in phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues located between amino acids 951 and 1107 in the carboxy-terminal region of LANA. However, RING3 is not itself a kinase but appears to recruit an as yet unidentified serine/threonine protein kinase into the complex which it forms with LANA.
Replication of
Mus dunni
Endogenous Retrovirus Depends on Promoter Activation Followed by Enhancer Multimerization
Authors: Wolgamot Greg , Miller A. Dusty
Published: December 2019

Mus dunni
endogenous virus (MDEV) is an apparently intact retrovirus that normally lies transcriptionally silent in cultured
M. dunni
cells, but the provirus can be activated by treatment of the cells with hydrocortisone or 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine. Sequence analysis of a molecular clone of the replicating virus revealed a simple retrovirus with a chimeric VL30/GALV-like structure. Interestingly, in the region of the long terminal repeat (LTR) that typically contains the retroviral transcription enhancers, we found over six 80-bp repeats with only a single mismatch, indicating that acquisition of the repeats was a recent event. Here we provide evidence for the following model of MDEV activation and replication. The MDEV provirus in
M. dunni
cells has a chimeric structure similar to that of the molecular clone but has only 1.15 copies of the 80-bp repeat sequence found in the molecular clone. Activating chemicals directly stimulate transcription from the LTR, allowing a low level of virus replication. Copying errors made during reverse transcription allow multimerization of the 80-bp enhancer region, resulting in viruses with higher transcriptional rates and improved fitness, but increased enhancer copy number is likely balanced by the natural instability of retroviral repeats and constraints imposed by virion packaging limits. The resultant population of replicating MDEV is widely heterogeneous, having from 2.15 to 13.15 enhancer repeats in the LTR. These results reveal a novel mechanism for regulation of transcription and replication of an endogenous retrovirus, in terms of both activation of the virus by the steroid hydrocortisone and the large number and variation in enhancer repeats observed.
Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Carrying a Bacterial
supF
Gene Has Wild-Type Pathogenicity and Enables Rapid Isolation of Proviral Integration Sites
Authors: Jiang Zhaorong , Shackleford Gregory M.
Published: December 2019

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) has frequently been used as an insertional mutagen to identify provirally activated mammary proto-oncogenes. To expedite and facilitate the process of cloning MMTV insertion sites, we have introduced a bacterial
supF
suppressor tRNA gene into the long terminal repeat (LTR) of MMTV, thus allowing selection of clones containing it in lambda vectors bearing amber mutations. The presence of
supF
in the LTR should circumvent the screening process for proviral insertion sites, since only those lambda clones with
supF
-containing proviral-cellular junction fragments should be able to form plaques on a lawn of wild-type
Escherichia coli
(i.e., lacking
supF
). The resulting virus (MMTV
supF
) induced mammary tumors at the expected rate in infected mice, deleted the appropriate T-cell population by virtue of its superantigen gene, and stably retained the
supF
gene after passage via the milk to female offspring. To test the selective function of the system, size-selected DNA containing two proviral-cellular junction fragments from an MMTV
supF
-induced mammary tumor was ligated into λgtWES.λB, packaged, and plated on a
supF
-deficient bacterial host for selection of
supF
-containing clones. All plaques tested contained the desired cloned fragments, thus demonstrating the utility of this modified provirus for the rapid cloning of MMTV insertion sites.
Oncogenic Role of Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded RNAs in Burkitt’s Lymphoma Cell Line Akata
Authors: Komano Jun , Maruo Seiji , Kurozumi Koichi , Oda Takanori , Takada Kenzo
Published: December 2019

Our previous reports indicated that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) contributes to the malignant phenotype and resistance to apoptosis in Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) cell line Akata (N. Shimizu, A. Tanabe-Tochikura, Y. Kuroiwa, and K. Takada, J. Virol. 68:6069–6073, 1994; J. Komano, M. Sugiura, and K. Takada, J. Virol. 72:9150–9156, 1998). Here we report that the EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) are responsible for these phenotypes. Transfection of the EBER genes into EBV-negative Akata clones restored the capacity for growth in soft agar, tumorigenicity in SCID mice, resistance to apoptotic inducers, and upregulated expression of bcl-2 oncoprotein that were originally retained in parental EBV-positive Akata cells and lost in EBV-negative subclones. This is the first report which provides evidence that virus-encoded RNAs (EBERs) have oncogenic functions in BL cells.
Role of the Epstein-Barr Virus Rta Protein in Activation of Distinct Classes of Viral Lytic Cycle Genes
Authors: Ragoczy Tobias , Miller George
Published: December 2019

Initiation of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic cycle is controlled by two immediate-early genes, BZLF1 and BRLF1. In certain epithelial and B-cell lines, their protein products, ZEBRA and Rta, stimulate their own expression, reciprocally stimulate each other’s expression, and activate downstream viral targets. It has been difficult to examine the individual roles of these two transactivators in EBV-infected lymphocytes, as they are expressed simultaneously upon induction of the lytic cycle. Here we show that the Burkitt lymphoma cell line Raji represents an experimental system that allows the study of Rta’s role in the lytic cycle of EBV in the absence and presence of ZEBRA. When expressed in Raji cells, exogenous Rta does not activate endogenous BZLF1 expression, yet Rta remains competent to transactivate certain downstream viral targets. Some genes, such as BaRF1, BMLF1, and a late gene, BLRF2, are maximally activated by Rta itself in the absence of detectable ZEBRA. The use of the Z(S186A) mutant form of ZEBRA, whose transactivation function is manifest only by coexpression of Rta, allows identification of a second class of lytic cycle genes, such as BMRF1 and BHRF1, that are activated in synergy by Rta and ZEBRA. It has already been documented that of the two activators, only ZEBRA stimulates the BRLF1 gene in Raji cells. Thus, there is a third class of viral genes activated by ZEBRA but not Rta. Moreover, ZEBRA exhibits an inhibitory effect on Rta’s capacity to stimulate the late gene, BLRF2. Consequently ZEBRA may function to repress Rta’s potential to activate some late genes. Raji cells thus allow delineation of the combinatorial roles of Rta and ZEBRA in control of several distinct classes of lytic cycle genes.
The V Protein of Simian Virus 5 Inhibits Interferon Signalling by Targeting STAT1 for Proteasome-Mediated Degradation
Authors: Didcock L. , Young D. F. , Goodbourn S. , Randall R. E.
Published: December 2019

To replicate in vivo, viruses must circumvent cellular antiviral defense mechanisms, including those induced by the interferons (IFNs). Here we demonstrate that simian virus 5 (SV5) blocks IFN signalling in human cells by inhibiting the formation of the IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 and gamma-activated factor transcription complexes that are involved in activating IFN-α/β- and IFN-γ-responsive genes, respectively. SV5 inhibits the formation of these complexes by specifically targeting STAT1, a component common to both transcription complexes, for proteasome-mediated degradation. Expression of the SV5 structural protein V, in the absence of other virus proteins, also inhibited IFN signalling and induced the degradation of STAT1. Following infection with SV5, STAT1 was degraded in the absence of virus protein synthesis and remained undetectable for up to 4 days postinfection. Furthermore, STAT1 was also degraded in IFN-pretreated cells, even though the cells were in an antiviral state. Since pretreatment of cells with IFN delayed but did not prevent virus replication and protein synthesis, these observations suggest that following infection of IFN-pretreated cells, SV5 remains viable within the cells until they eventually go out of the antiviral state.