bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Synthesis of Budded Virus Envelope Fusion Protein GP64 Enhances
Autographa californica
Multicapsid Nucleopolyhedrovirus Virulence in Orally Infected
Heliothis virescens
Authors: Washburn Jan O. , Chan Eric Y. , Volkman Loy E. , Aumiller Jared J. , Jarvis Donald L.
Published: December 2002

Autographa californica
multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (Ac
M
NPV), the type species of the
Nucleopolyhedrovirus
genus (
Baculoviridae
family), has two highly unusual traits shared by several baculovirus species. First, the occlusion-derived virus (ODV) that establishes primary infection in the midgut following its ingestion by host larvae contains multiple nucleocapsids, all of which enter the same midgut cell. Second, GP64, the envelope fusion protein of the budded virus (BV) that spreads infection beyond the midgut, is synthesized both early and late during infection. We tested the hypothesis that, together, these two traits enable parental ODV nucleocapsids to bud from infected midgut cells, essentially as BV, to establish secondary infections prior to completion of viral replication within the midgut. This “pass-through” strategy would enable the virus to counter the host's principal defense, sloughing of infected midgut cells, by accelerating the onset of systemic infections. To test this hypothesis, we created an Ac
M
NPV recombinant, AcLate21/20-64HB, that can express
gp64
only during the late phase of infection (coincident with the other structural proteins). We then compared the virulence of this virus to that of a control recombinant virus that expresses
gp64
in a wild-type manner. We found that when administered orally, the control virus was far more virulent and established secondary infection earlier than AcLate21/20-64HB, but when administered intrahemocoelically, infectivity and virulence of the two recombinants were identical. Our results demonstrate that early
gp64
expression is a key component of a unique and highly adaptive baculovirus infection strategy.
Ontogeny and Specificities of Mucosal and Blood Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Specific CD8+Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes
Authors: Musey L. , Ding Y. , Cao J. , Lee J. , Galloway C. , Yuen A. , Jerome K. R. , McElrath M. J.
Published: December 2002

Induction of adaptive immunity to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) at the mucosal site of transmission is poorly understood but crucial in devising strategies to control and prevent infection. To gain further understanding of HIV-1-specific T-cell mucosal immunity, we established HIV-1-specific CD8+cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) cell lines and clones from the blood, cervix, rectum, and semen of 12 HIV-1-infected individuals and compared their specificities, cytolytic function, and T-cell receptor (TCR) clonotypes. Blood and mucosal CD8+CTL had common HIV-1 epitope specificities and major histocompatibility complex restriction patterns. Moreover, both systemic and mucosal CTL lysed targets with similar efficiency, primarily through the perforin-dependent pathway in in vitro studies. Sequence analysis of the TCRβ VDJ region revealed in some cases identical HIV-1-specific CTL clones in different compartments in the same HIV-1-infected individual. These results clearly establish that a subset of blood and mucosal HIV-1-specific CTL can have a common origin and can traffic between anatomically distinct compartments. Thus, these effectors can provide immune surveillance at the mucosa, where rapid responses are needed to contain HIV-1 infection.
Effective Inhibition of Kb- and Db-Restricted Antigen Presentation in Primary Macrophages by Murine Cytomegalovirus
Authors: LoPiccolo Diane M. , Gold Marielle C. , Kavanagh Daniel G. , Wagner Markus , Koszinowski Ulrich H. , Hill Ann B.
Published: December 2002

Macrophages play an important role in murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection in vivo, both in disseminating infection and in harboring latent virus. MCMV encodes three immune evasion genes (m4,m6, andm152) that interfere with the ability of cytotoxic T cells (CTL) to detect virus-infected fibroblasts, but the efficacy of immune evasion in macrophages has been controversial. Here we show that MCMV immune evasion genes function in H-2bprimary bone marrow macrophages (BMMφ) in the same way that they do in fibroblasts. Metabolic labeling experiments showed that class I is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum by MCMV infection and associates with m4/gp34 to a similar extent in fibroblasts and BMMφ. We tested a series of Kb- and Db-restricted CTL clones specific for MCMV early genes against a panel of MCMV wild-type virus and mutants lackingm152,m4, orm6. MCMV immune evasion genes effectively inhibited antigen presentation.m152appeared sufficient to abolish Db-restricted presentation in infected macrophages, as has been previously observed in infected fibroblasts. However, for inhibition of recognition of infected macrophages by Kb-restricted CTL,m4,m6, andm152were all required. The contribution ofm4to inhibition of recognition appeared much more important in macrophages than in fibroblasts. Thus, MCMV immune evasion genes function effectively in primary macrophages to prevent CTL recognition of early antigens and show the same pattern of major histocompatibility complex class I allele discrimination as is seen in fibroblasts. Furthermore, for inhibition of Kb-restricted presentation, a strong synergistic effect was noted amongm152,m4, andm6.
Isolation and Molecular Characterization of a Nelfinavir (NFV)-Resistant Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 That Exhibits NFV-Dependent Enhancement of Replication
Authors: Matsuoka-Aizawa Saori , Sato Hironori , Hachiya Atsuko , Tsuchiya Kiyoto , Takebe Yutaka , Gatanaga Hiroyuki , Kimura Satoshi , Oka Shinichi
Published: December 2002

During the use of a phenotypic anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) drug resistance assay in a large set of clinical virus isolates, we found a unique variant (CL-4) that exhibited a high level of nelfinavir (NFV) resistance and rather enhanced replication under subinhibitory concentrations of NFV (0.001 to 0.1 μM). Comparison of
gag-pol
sequences of the CL-4 variant and its predecessor virus isolates showed a stepwise accumulation of a total of 19 amino acid substitutions in protease (PR) and Gag p17 during 32-month NFV-containing antiretroviral therapy, while other Gag regions including the cleavage sites of the p55 precursor remained highly conserved. To understand the relationship between the genetic and phenotypic changes in CL-4, we constructed chimeric viruses using pNL4-3, replacing the PR, p24PR, or p17PR gene segment of CL-4 or its predecessor. A series of tissue culture infections with the chimeras in the absence or presence of increasing concentrations of NFV demonstrated that only the p17PR segment of CL-4 could confer the NFV-dependent replication enhancement phenotype on NL4-3. Our data suggest a novel adaptation mechanism of HIV-1 to NFV, in which coevolution of Gag and PR genes generates a variant that replicates more efficiently in the cellular environment in the presence of NFV than without the drug.
Ac23, an Envelope Fusion Protein Homolog in the Baculovirus
Autographa californica
Multicapsid Nucleopolyhedrovirus, Is a Viral Pathogenicity Factor
Authors: Lung Oliver Y. , Cruz-Alvarez Marilyn , Blissard Gary W.
Published: December 2002

Viral envelope fusion proteins are important structural proteins that mediate viral entry and may affect or determine the host range of a virus. The acquisition, exchange, and evolution of such envelope proteins may dramatically affect the success and evolutionary divergence of viruses. In the family
Baculoviridae,
two very different envelope fusion proteins have been identified. Budded virions of group I nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) such as the
Autographa californica
multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (Ac
M
NPV), contain the essential GP64 envelope fusion protein. In contrast group II NPVs and granuloviruses have no
gp64
gene but instead encode a different envelope protein called F. F proteins from group II NPVs can functionally substitute for GP64 in
gp64
null Ac
M
NPV viruses, indicating that GP64 and these F proteins serve a similar functional role. Interestingly, Ac
M
NPV (and other
gp64
-containing group I NPVs) also contain an
F
gene homolog (
Ac23
) but the Ac
M
NPV F homolog cannot compensate for the loss of
gp64
. In the present study, we show that Ac23 is expressed and is found in budded virions. To examine the function of F protein homologs from the
gp64
-containing baculoviruses, we generated an
Ac23
null Ac
M
NPV genome by homologous recombination in
E. coli.
We found that
Ac23
was not required for viral replication or pathogenesis in cell culture or infected animals. However,
Ac23
accelerated the mortality of infected insect hosts by approximately 28% or 26 h. Thus, Ac23 represents an important viral pathogenicity factor in larvae infected with Ac
M
NPV.
Transcription Strategy in a
Closterovirus:
a Novel 5′-Proximal Controller Element of
Citrus Tristeza Virus
Produces 5′- and 3′-Terminal Subgenomic RNAs and Differs from 3′ Open Reading Frame Controller Elements
Authors: Gowda Siddarame , Ayllón María A. , Satyanarayana Tatineni , Bar-Joseph Moshe , Dawson William O.
Published: December 2002

Citrus tristeza virus
(CTV) produces more than thirty 3′- or 5′-terminal subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) that accumulate to various extents during replication in protoplasts and plants. Among the most unusual species are two abundant populations of small 5′-terminal sgRNAs of approximately 800 nucleotides (nt) termed low-molecular-weight tristeza (LMT1 and LMT2) RNAs. Remarkably, CTV replicons with all 10 3′ genes deleted produce only the larger LMT1 RNAs. These 5′-terminal positive-sense sgRNAs do not have corresponding negative strands and were hypothesized to be produced by premature termination during plus-strand genomic RNA synthesis. We characterized a
cis
-acting element that controls the production of the LMT1 RNAs. Since manipulation of this
cis
-acting element in its native position (the L-ProI region of replicase) was not possible because the mutations negatively affect replication, a region (5′TR) surrounding the putative termination sites (nt ∼550 to 1000) was duplicated in the 3′ end of a CTV replicon to allow characterization. The duplicated sequence continued to produce a 5′-terminal plus-strand sgRNA, here much larger (∼11 kb), apparently by termination. Surprisingly, a new 3′-terminal sgRNA was observed from the duplicated 5′TR. A large 3′-terminal sgRNA resulting from the putative promoter activity of the native 5′TR was not observed, possibly because of the down-regulation of a promoter ∼19 kb from the 3′ terminus. However, we were able to observe a sgRNA produced from the native 5′TR of a small defective RNA, which placed the native 5′TR closer to the 3′ terminus, demonstrating sgRNA promoter activity of the native 5′TR. Deletion mutagenesis mapped the promoter and the terminator activities of the 5′TR (in the 3′ position in the CTV replicon) to a 57-nt region, which was folded by the MFOLD computer program into two stem-loops. Mutations in the putative stem-loop structures equally reduced or prevented production of both the 3′- and 5′-terminal sgRNAs. These mutations, when introduced in frame in the native 5′TR, similarly abolished the synthesis of the LMT1 RNAs and presumably the large 3′-terminal sgRNA while having no impact on replication, demonstrating that neither 5′- nor 3′-terminal sgRNA is necessary for replication of the replicon or full-length CTV in protoplasts. Differences between the 5′TR, which produced two plus-strand sgRNAs, and the
cis
-acting elements controlling the 3′ open reading frames, which produced additional minus-strand sgRNAs corresponding to the 3′-terminal mRNAs, suggest that the different sgRNA controller elements had different origins in the modular evolution of closteroviruses.
Heterogeneity of Envelope Molecules Expressed on Primary Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Particles as Probed by the Binding of Neutralizing and Nonneutralizing Antibodies
Authors: Poignard Pascal , Moulard Maxime , Golez Edwin , Vivona Veronique , Franti Michael , Venturini Sara , Wang Meng , Parren Paul W. H. I. , Burton Dennis R.
Published: December 2002

Virion capture assays, in which immobilized antibodies (Abs) capture virus particles, have been used to suggest that nonneutralizing Abs bind effectively to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) primary viruses. Here, we show that virion capture assays, under conditions commonly reported in the literature, give a poor indication of epitope expression on the surface of infectious primary HIV-1. First, estimation of primary HIV-1 capture by p24 measurements shows a very poor correlation with an estimation based on infectivity measurements. Second, virion capture appears to require relatively low Ab affinity for the virion, as shown by the ability of a monoclonal Ab to capture a wild-type and a neutralization escape variant virus equally well. Nevertheless, in a more interpretable competition format, it is shown that nonneutralizing anti-CD4 binding site (CD4bs) Abs compete with a neutralizing anti-CD4bs Ab (b12) for virus capture, suggesting that the nonneutralizing anti-CD4bs Abs are able to bind to the envelope species that is involved in virion capture in these experiments. However, the nonneutralizing anti-CD4bs Abs do not inhibit neutralization by b12 even at considerable excess. This suggests that the nonneutralizing Abs are unable to bind effectively to the envelope species required for virus infectivity. The results were obtained for three different primary virus envelopes. The explanation that we favor is that infectious HIV-1 primary virions can express two forms of gp120, an accessible nonfunctional form and a functional form with limited access. Binding to the nonfunctional form, which needs only to be present at relatively low density on the virion, permits capture but does not lead to neutralization. The expression of a nonfunctional but accessible form of gp120 on virions may contribute to the general failure of HIV-1 infection to elicit cross-neutralizing Abs and may represent a significant problem for vaccines based on viruses or virus-like particles.
The Dimer Interfaces of Protease and Extra-Protease Domains Influence the Activation of Protease and the Specificity of GagPol Cleavage
Authors: Pettit Steven C. , Gulnik Sergei , Everitt Lori , Kaplan Andrew H.
Published: December 2002

Activation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease is an essential step in viral replication. As is the case for all retroviral proteases, enzyme activation requires the formation of protease homodimers. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which retroviral proteases become active within their precursors. Using an in vitro expression system, we have examined the determinants of activation efficiency and the order of cleavage site processing for the protease of HIV-1 within the full-length GagPol precursor. Following activation, initial cleavage occurs between the viral p2 and nucleocapsid proteins. This is followed by cleavage of a novel site located in the transframe domain. Mutational analysis of the dimer interface of the protease produced differential effects on activation and specificity. A subset of mutations produced enhanced cleavage at the amino terminus of the protease, suggesting that, in the wild-type precursor, cleavages that liberate the protease are a relatively late event. Replacement of the proline residue at position 1 of the protease dimer interface resulted in altered cleavage of distal sites and suggests that this residue functions as a
cis
-directed specificity determinant. In summary, our studies indicate that interactions within the protease dimer interface help determine the order of precursor cleavage and contribute to the formation of extended-protease intermediates. Assembly domains within GagPol outside the protease domain also influence enzyme activation.
Gris1
, a New Common Integration Site in Graffi Murine Leukemia Virus-Induced Leukemias: Overexpression of a Truncated Cyclin D2 due to Alternative Splicing
Authors: Denicourt Catherine , Kozak Christine A. , Rassart Eric
Published: December 2002

The Graffi murine leukemia virus is a nondefective ecotropic retrovirus that was originally reported to induce myeloid leukemia in some strains of mice (A. Graffi, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.
68:
540-558, 1957). Using provirus-flanking sequences as DNA probes, we identified a new common retroviral integration site called
Gris1
(for Graffi integration site 1). Viral integrations in
Gris1
were detected in 13% of the tumors analyzed. The
Gris1
locus was mapped to the distal region of mouse chromosome 6, 85 kb upstream of the cyclin D2 gene. Such viral integration in
Gris1
causes overexpression of the normal 6.5-kb major transcript of cyclin D2 but also induces the expression of a new, alternatively spliced 1.1-kb transcript from the cyclin D2 gene that encodes a truncated cyclin D2 of 17 kDa. The expression of this 1.1-kb transcript is specific to tumors in which
Gris1
is rearranged but is also detected at low levels in normal tissue.
Importance of B-Cell Responses for Immunological Control of Variant Strains of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Johnson Welkin E. , Lifson Jeffrey D. , Lang Sabine M. , Johnson R. Paul , Desrosiers Ronald C.
Published: December 2002

The properties of three variants of cloned simian immunodeficiency virus strain 239 (SIV239) were compared. One strain (M5) lacked five sites for N-linked carbohydrate attachment in variable regions 1 and 2 (V1 and V2) of the gp120 envelope protein, one strain (ΔV1-V2) completely lacked V1 and V2 sequences, and another (316) had nine mutations in the envelope that impart high replicative capacity for tissue macrophages. All three strains were capable of significant levels of fusion independent of CD4, and all three were considerably more sensitive to antibody-mediated neutralization than the parent strain from which they were derived. Upon experimental infection of rhesus monkeys, these three variant strains replicated to viral loads at peak height around day 14 that were indistinguishable from or only slightly less than those observed in monkeys infected with the parental SIV239 strain. Viral loads at the set point 20 to 50 weeks after infection, however, were more than 400- to 10,000-fold lower with the variant strains. Depletion of B cells around the time of infection with M5 resulted in less effective immunological control and much higher viral loads at the set point in two of three monkeys. The differences between SIV239 infection, where there is not effective immunological control, and SIVM5 infection, where there is effective immunological control, cannot be easily explained by differences in the inherent replicative capacity of the viruses; rather, they are more readily explained by differences in the effectiveness of the antibody response. These results suggest that resistance of SIV239 to antibody-mediated neutralization is very important for evading effective immunological control, for allowing continuous viral replication, for maintenance of moderate-to-high viral loads at set point, and for disease progression.
DNA Immunization with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Polycistronic Genes or Immunization by HCV DNA Priming-Recombinant Canarypox Virus Boosting Induces Immune Responses and Protection from Recombinant HCV-Vaccinia Virus Infection in HLA-A2.1-Transgenic Mice
Authors: Pancholi Preeti , Perkus Marion , Tricoche Nancy , Liu Qingyan , Prince Alfred M.
Published: December 2002

We studied immune responses to hepatitis C virus (HCV) genes delivered as DNA encoding the entire HCV protein coding genome in two polycistronic plasmids encoding HCV capsid-E1-E2-NS2-NS3 and HCV NS3-NS4-NS5 in HLA-A2.1-transgenic mice. Immune responses to HCV DNA prime and recombinant canarypox virus boost were also studied with the above constructs. At 8 weeks after a canarypox virus boost, the DNA prime/canarypox virus boosting regimen induced potent cellular immune responses to HCV structural and nonstructural proteins on target cells expressing the HLA-A2.1 allele. High frequencies of gamma interferon-secreting cells, as detected by enzyme-linked immunospot assay, were obtained in response to several endogenously expressed HCV proteins. We also observed cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte reactivity in response to endogenously expressed HCV proteins in fresh spleen cells without in vitro expansion. Upon challenge with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing HCV proteins at 2 months postimmunization, the HCV DNA prime/canarypox virus-immunized mice showed a complete reduction in vaccinia virus titers compared to HCV DNA prime/boost- and mock-immunized controls. Immune responses were still detectable 4 months after canarypox virus boost in immunized mice. Interestingly, at 10 months postimmunization (8 months after canarypox virus boost), the protection in HCV DNA prime/boost-immunized mice against recombinant HCV-vaccinia virus challenge was higher than that observed in HCV DNA prime/canarypox virus boost-immunized mice.
Residues of VP26 of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 That Are Required for Its Interaction with Capsids
Authors: Desai Prashant , Akpa Jean-Claude , Person Stanley
Published: December 2002

VP26 is the smallest capsid protein and decorates the outer surface of the capsid shell of herpes simplex virus. It is located on the hexons at equimolar amounts with VP5. Its small size (112 amino acids) and high copy number make it an attractive molecule to use as a probe to investigate the complex pattern of capsid protein interactions. An in vitro capsid binding assay and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) localization assay were used to identify VP26 residues important for its interaction with capsids. To test for regions of VP26 that may be essential for binding to capsids, three small in-frame deletion mutations were generated in VP26, Δ18-25, Δ54-60, and Δ93-100. Their designations refer to the amino acids deleted by the mutation. The mutation at the C terminus of the molecule, which encompasses a region of highly conserved residues, abolished binding to the capsid and the localization of GFP to the nucleus in characteristic large puncta. Additional mutations revealed that a region of VP26 spanning from residue 50 to 112 was sufficient for the localization of the fused protein (VP26-GFP) to the nucleus and for it to bind to capsids. Using site-directed mutagenesis of conserved residues in VP26, two key residues for protein-protein interaction, F79 and G93, were identified as judged by the localization of GFP to nuclear puncta. When these mutations were analyzed in the capsid binding assay, they were also found to eliminate binding of VP26 to the capsid structure. Surprisingly, additional mutations that affected the ability of VP26 to bind to capsids in vitro were uncovered. Mutations at residues A58 and L64 resulted in a reduced ability of VP26 to bind to capsids. Mutation of the hydrophobic residues M78 and A80, which are adjacent to the hydrophobic residue F79, abolished VP26 capsid binding. In addition, the block of conserved amino acids in the carboxy end of the molecule had the most profound effect on the ability of VP26 to interact with capsids. Mutation of amino acid G93, L94, R95, R96, or T97 resulted in a greatly diminished ability of VP26 to bind capsids. Yet, all of these residues other than G93 were able to efficiently translocate or concentrate GFP into the nucleus, giving rise to the punctate fluorescence. Thus, the interaction of VP26 with the capsid appears to occur through at least two separate mechanisms. The initial interaction of VP26 and VP5 may occur in the cytoplasm or when VP5 is localized in the nucleus. Residues F79 and G93 are important for this bi-molecular interaction, resulting in the accumulation of VP26 in the nucleus in concentrated foci. Subsequent to this association, additional amino acids of VP26, including those in the C-terminal conserved domain, are important for interaction of VP26 with the three-dimensional capsid structure.
Norwalk Virus-Like Particle Hemagglutination by Binding to H Histo-Blood Group Antigens
Authors: Hutson Anne M. , Atmar Robert L. , Marcus Donald M. , Estes Mary K.
Published: December 2002

Noroviruses are a major cause of epidemic acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Here we report our discovery that recombinant Norwalk virus virus-like particles (rNV VLPs) agglutinate red blood cells (RBCs). Since histo-blood group antigens are expressed on gut mucosa as well as RBCs, we used rNV VLP hemagglutination (HA) as a model system for studying NV attachment to cells in order to help identify a potential NV receptor(s). rNV VLP HA is dependent on low temperature (4°C) and acidic pH. Of the 13 species of RBCs tested, rNV VLPs hemagglutinated only chimpanzee and human RBCs. The rNV VLPs hemagglutinated all human type O (11 of 11), A (9 of 9), and AB (4 of 4) RBCs; however, few human type B RBC samples (4 of 14) were hemagglutinated. HA with periodate- and neuraminidase-treated RBCs indicated that rNV VLP binding was carbohydrate dependent and did not require sialic acid. The rNV VLPs did not hemagglutinate Bombay RBCs (zero of seven) that lack H type 2 antigen, and an anti-H type 2 antibody inhibited rNV VLP HA of human type O RBCs. These data indicated that the H type 2 antigen functions as the rNV VLP HA receptor on human type O RBCs. The rNV VLP HA was also inhibited by rNV VLP-specific monoclonal antibody 8812, an antibody that inhibits VLP binding to Caco-2 cells. Convalescent-phase sera from NV-infected individuals showed increased rNV VLP HA inhibition titers compared to prechallenge sera. In carbohydrate binding assays, the rNV VLPs bound to synthetic Lewis d (Led), Leb, H type 2, and Leyantigens, and these antigens also inhibited rNV VLP HA of human type O RBCs. Overall, our results indicate that carbohydrate antigens in the gut are a previously unrecognized factor in NV pathogenesis.
Mapping of Amino Acid Side Chains on the Surface of Hepatitis B Virus Capsids Required for Envelopment and Virion Formation
Authors: Ponsel Dirk , Bruss Volker
Published: December 2002

The crystal structure of recombinant hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsids formed by 240 core proteins has recently been published. We wanted to map sites on the surface of the icosahedral 35-nm particle that are important for nucleocapsid envelopment by HBV surface proteins during virion morphogenesis. For this purpose, we individually mutated 52 amino acids (aa) within the N-terminal 140 aa of the 185-aa long core protein displaying their side chains to the external surface of the capsid to alanine residues. The phenotype of the mutations with respect to virion formation was tested by transcomplementation of a core gene-negative HBV genome in transiently cotransfected cells, immunoprecipitation of nucleocapsids from cells and secreted virions from culture media, and detection of the particles by radioactive endogenous polymerase reactions. Thirteen point mutations impeded nucleocapsid detection by endogenous polymerase reactions. Twenty-seven mutations were compatible with virion formation. Among these were all capsid-forming mutations in the upper half of the spike protruding from the particle shell and two additional triple mutations at tip of the spike. Eleven mutations (S17, F18, L60, L95, K96, F122, I126, R127, N136, A137, and I139) allowed nucleocapsid formation but blocked particle envelopment and virion formation to undetectable levels. These mutations map to a ring-like groove around the base of the spike and to a small area at the capsid surface close to the pores in the capsid shell. These residues are candidate sites for the interaction with envelope proteins during virion morphogenesis.
Marker Rescue of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Capsid Mutants: a Novel Approach for Chimeric AAV Production
Authors: Bowles Dawn E. , Rabinowitz Joseph E. , Samulski R. Jude
Published: December 2002

Marker rescue, the restoration of gene function by replacement of a defective gene with a normal one by recombination, has been utilized to produce novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. AAV serotype 2 (AAV2) clones containing wild-type terminal repeats, an intact
rep
gene, and a mutated
cap
gene, served as the template for marker rescue. When transfected alone in 293 cells, these AAV2 mutant plasmids produced noninfectious AAV virions that could not bind heparin sulfate after infection with adenovirus
dl
309 helper virus. However, the mutation in the
cap
gene was corrected after cotransfection with AAV serotype 3 (AAV3) capsid DNA fragments, resulting in the production of AAV2/AAV3 chimeric viruses. The
cap
genes from several independent marker rescue experiments were PCR amplified, cloned, and then sequenced. Sequencing results confirmed not only that homologous recombination occurred but, more importantly, that a mixed population of AAV chimeras carrying 16 to 2,200 bp throughout different regions of the type 3
cap
gene were generated in a single marker rescue experiment. A 100% correlation was observed between infectivity and the ability of the chimeric virus to bind heparin sulfate. In addition, many of the AAV2/AAV3 chimeras examined exhibited differences at both the nucleotide and amino acid levels, suggesting that these chimeras may also exhibit unique infectious properties. Furthermore, AAV helper plasmids containing these chimeric
cap
genes were able to function in the triple transfection method to generate recombinant AAV. Together, the results suggest that DNA from other AAV serotypes can rescue AAV capsid mutants and that marker rescue may be a powerful, yet simple, technique to map, as well as develop, chimeric AAV capsids that display different serotype-specific properties.
Regulation of Minute Virus of Mice NS1 Replicative Functions by Atypical PKCλ In Vivo
Authors: Nüesch Jürg P. F. , Lachmann Sylvie , Corbau Romuald , Rommelaere Jean
Published: December 2002

Minute virus of mice NS1 protein is a multifunctional phosphoprotein endowed with a variety of enzymatic and regulatory activities necessary for progeny virus particle production. To regulate all of its different functions in the course of a viral infection, NS1 has been proposed to be modulated by posttranslational modifications, in particular, phosphorylation. Indeed, it was shown that the NS1 phosphorylation pattern is altered during the infectious cycle and that the biochemical profile of the protein is dependent on the phosphorylation state of the polypeptide. Moreover, in vitro approaches have identified members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family, in particular, atypical PKC, as regulators of viral DNA replication through the phosphorylation of NS1 residues T435 and S473, thereby activating the protein for DNA unwinding activities. In order to substantiate these findings in vivo, we produced NS1 in the presence of a dominant-negative PKCλ mutant and characterized the purified protein in vitro. The NS1 protein produced under these conditions was found to be only partially phosphorylated and as a consequence to be deficient for viral DNA replication. However, it could be rescued for this viral function by treatment with recombinant activated PKCλ. Our data clearly demonstrate that NS1 is a target for PKCλ phosphorylation in vivo and that this modification is essential for the helicase activity of the viral polypeptide. In addition, the phosphorylation of NS1 at residues T435 and S473 appeared to occur mainly in the nucleus, providing further evidence for the involvement of PKCλ which, unlike PKCζ, accumulates in the nuclear compartment of infected cells.
Spontaneous Mutations Restore the Viability of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Mutants with Large Deletions in Protein C
Authors: Kofler Regina M. , Leitner Agnes , O'Riordain Gabriel , Heinz Franz X. , Mandl Christian W.
Published: December 2002

The capsid protein, C, of tick-borne encephalitis virus has recently been found to tolerate deletions up to a length of 16 amino acid residues that partially removed the central hydrophobic domain, a sequence element conserved among flaviviruses which may be crucial for virion assembly. In this study, mutants with deletion lengths of 19, 21, 27, or 30 residues, removing more or all of this hydrophobic domain, were found to yield viable virus progeny, but this was without exception accompanied by the emergence of additional mutations within protein C. These point mutations or sequence duplications were located downstream of the engineered deletion and generally increased the hydrophobicity, suggesting that they may compensate for the loss of the central hydrophobic domain. Two of the second-site mutations, together with the corresponding deletion, were introduced into a wild-type genetic backbone, and the analysis of these “double mutants” provided direct evidence that the viability of the deletion mutant indeed depended on the presence of the second-site mutation. Our results corroborate the notion that hydrophobic interactions of protein C are essential for the assembly of infectious flavivirus particles but rule out the possibility that individual residues of the central hydrophobic domain are absolutely required for infectivity. Furthermore, the double mutants were found to be highly attenuated and capable of inducing a protective immune response in mice at even lower inoculation doses than the previously characterized 16-amino-acid-residue deletion mutant, suggesting that the combination of large deletions and second-site mutations may be a superior way to generate safe, attenuated flavivirus vaccine strains.
The Major Apoptotic Pathway Activated and Suppressed by Poliovirus
Authors: Belov George A. , Romanova Lyudmila I. , Tolskaya Elena A. , Kolesnikova Marina S. , Lazebnik Yuri A. , Agol Vadim I.
Published: December 2002

Cells respond to poliovirus infection by switching on the apoptotic program, implementation of which is usually suppressed by viral antiapoptotic functions. We show here that poliovirus infection of HeLa cells or derivatives of MCF-7 cells was accompanied by the efflux of cytochrome
c
from mitochondria. This efflux occurred during both abortive infection (e.g., interrupted by guanidine-HCl and ending with apoptosis) and productive infection (leading to cytopathic effect). The former type of infection, but not the latter, was accompanied by truncation of the proapoptotic protein Bid. The virus-triggered cytochrome
c
efflux was suppressed by overexpression of Bcl-2. Both abortive and productive infections also resulted in a decreased level of procaspase-9, as revealed by Western blotting. In the former case, this decrease was accompanied by the accumulation of a protein with the electrophoretic mobility of active caspase-9. In contrast, in the productively infected cells, the latter protein was absent but caspase-9-related polypeptides with altered mobility could be detected. Both caspase-9 and caspase-3 were shown to be essential for the development of such hallmarks of virus-induced apoptosis as chromatin condensation, DNA degradation, and nuclear fragmentation. These and some other results suggest the following scenario. Poliovirus infection activates the apoptotic pathway, involving mitochondrial damage, cytochrome
c
efflux, and consecutive activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. The apoptotic signal appears to be amplified by a loop which includes secondary processing of Bid. The implementation of the apoptotic program in productively infected cells may be suppressed, however, by the viral antiapoptotic functions, which act at a step(s) downstream of the cytochrome
c
efflux. The suppression appears to be caused, at least in part, by aberrant processing and degradation of procaspase-9.
Genome Variability and Capsid Structural Constraints of Hepatitis A Virus
Authors: Sánchez Glòria , Bosch Albert , Pintó Rosa M.
Published: December 2002

The number of synonymous mutations per synonymous site (

K
s

), the number of nonsynonymous mutations per nonsynonymous site (

K
a

), and the codon usage statistic (

N
c

) were calculated for several hepatitis A virus (HAV) isolates. While

K
s

was similar to those of poliovirus (PV) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV),

K
a

was 1 order of magnitude lower. The

N
c

parameter provides information on codon usage bias and decreases when bias increases. The

N
c

value in HAV was about 38, while in PV and FMDV, it was about 53. The emergence of 22 rare codons in front of 8 in PV and 7 in FMDV was detected. Most of the conserved rare codons of the P1 region were strategically located at the carboxy borders of β barrels and α helices, their potential function being the assurance of proper folding of the capsid proteins through a decrease in the translation speed. This strategic location was not observed for amino acids encoded by the conserved rare codons of the 3D region. The percentage of bases with low pairing number values was higher in the latter region, suggesting a role of the conserved rare codons in the maintenance of RNA structure. Many of the rare codons in HAV are among the most frequent in humans, unlike in PV or in FMDV. This fact may be explained by the lack of cellular shutoff in HAV. One hypothesis is that HAV has evolved in order to avoid competition with its host for cellular tRNAs.
Specificity of Plasma Membrane Targeting by the Rous Sarcoma Virus Gag Protein
Authors: Scheifele Lisa Z. , Rhoads Jonathan D. , Parent Leslie J.
Published: December 2002

Budding of C-type retroviruses begins when the viral Gag polyprotein is directed to the plasma membrane by an N-terminal membrane-binding (M) domain. While dispersed basic amino acids within the M domain are critical for stable membrane association and consequent particle assembly, additional residues or motifs may be required for specific plasma membrane targeting and binding. We have identified an assembly-defective Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) Gag mutant that retains significant membrane affinity despite having a deletion of the fourth alpha-helix of the M domain. Examination of the mutant protein's subcellular distribution revealed that it was not localized to the plasma membrane but instead was mistargeted to intracytoplasmic membranes. Specific plasma membrane targeting was restored by the addition of myristate plus a single basic residue, by multiple basic residues, or by the heterologous hydrophobic membrane-binding domain from the cellular Fyn protein. These results suggest that the fourth alpha-helix of the RSV M domain promotes specific targeting of Gag to the plasma membrane, either through a direct interaction with plasma membrane phospholipids or a membrane-associated cellular factor or by maintaining the conformation of Gag to expose specific plasma membrane targeting sequences.
Promoter Sequences of Varicella-Zoster Virus Glycoprotein I Targeted by Cellular Transactivating Factors Sp1 and USF Determine Virulence in Skin and T Cells in SCIDhu Mice In Vivo
Authors: Ito Hideki , Sommer Marvin H. , Zerboni Leigh , He Hongying , Boucaud Dwayne , Hay John , Ruyechan William , Arvin Ann M.
Published: December 2002

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) glycoprotein I is dispensable in cell culture but necessary for infection of human skin and T cells in SCIDhu mice in vivo. The gI promoter contains an activating upstream sequence that binds the cellular transactivators specificity factor 1 (Sp1) and upstream stimulatory factor (USF) and an open reading frame 29 (ORF29)-responsive element (29RE), which mediates enhancement by ORF29 DNA binding protein of immediate-early 62 (IE62)-induced transcription. Recombinants, rOKAgI-Sp1 and rOKAgI-USF, with two base pair substitutions in Sp1 or USF sites, replicated like rOKA in vitro, but infectivity of rOKAgI-Sp1 was significantly impaired in skin and T cells in vivo. A double mutant, rOKAgI-Sp1/USF, did not replicate in skin but yielded low titers of infectious virus in T cells. The repaired protein, rOKAgI:rep-Sp1/USF, was as infectious as rOKA. Thus, disrupting gI promoter sites for cellular transactivators altered VZV virulence in vivo, with variable consequences related to the cellular factor and the host cell type. Mutations in the 29RE of the gI promoter were made by substituting each of four 10-bp blocks in this region with a 10-bp sequence, GATAACTACA, that was predicted to interfere with enhancer effects of the ORF29 protein. One of these mutants, which was designated rOKAgI-29RE-3, had diminished replication in skin and T cells, indicating that ORF29 protein-mediated enhancement of gI expression contributes to VZV virulence. Mutations within promoters of viral genes that are nonessential in vitro should allow construction of recombinant herpesviruses that have altered virulence in specific host cells in vivo and may be useful for designing herpesviral gene therapy vectors and attenuated viral vaccines.
Plasma Membrane Topology of Syncytial Domains of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Glycoprotein K (gK): the UL20 Protein Enables Cell Surface Localization of gK but Not gK-Mediated Cell-to-Cell Fusion
Authors: Foster Timothy P. , Alvarez Xavier , Kousoulas Konstantin G.
Published: December 2002

Most spontaneously occurring mutations that cause extensive herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-induced cell fusion are single amino acid changes within glycoprotein K (gK). Despite the strong genetic association of gK with virus-induced cell fusion, its direct involvement in cellular membrane fusion has been controversial, largely due to previously unsuccessful efforts to detect gK expression on virion and cellular surfaces. Recently, we showed that gK is expressed on HSV-1 virions and functioned in virus entry (T. P. Foster, G. V. Rybachuk, and K. G. Kousoulas, J. Virol. 75:12431-12438, 2001). To determine whether gK is expressed on cellular surfaces, as well as its membrane topology, we generated the recombinant viruses gKV5DI, gKV5DII, gKV5DIII, and gKV5DIVcontaining insertions of the V5 antigenic epitope within each of four domains of gK predicted to localize either in the cytoplasmic side or in the extracytoplasmic side of cellular membranes. Immunohistochemical and confocal microscopy analyses of infected cells showed that both wild-type and syncytial forms of gK were expressed on cell surfaces. Analysis of the topology of the V5-tagged gK revealed that gK domains I and IV were located extracellularly, whereas domains II and III were localized intracellularly. Transiently expressed gK failed to localize in cellular plasma membranes. In contrast, infection of gK-transfected cells with the gK-null virus ΔgK enabled expression of gK on cell surfaces, as well as gK-mediated membrane fusion. Transient-coexpression experiments revealed that the UL20 protein enabled cell surface expression of gK, but not gK-mediated cell-to-cell fusion, indicating that additional viral proteins are required for expression of the gK syncytial phenotype.
The Coat Protein of Turnip Crinkle Virus Suppresses Posttranscriptional Gene Silencing at an Early Initiation Step
Authors: Qu Feng , Ren Tao , Morris T. Jack
Published: December 2002

Posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS), or RNA silencing, is a sequence-specific RNA degradation process that targets foreign RNA, including viral and transposon RNA for destruction. Several RNA plant viruses have been shown to encode suppressors of PTGS in order to survive this host defense. We report here that the coat protein (CP) of
Turnip crinkle virus
(TCV) strongly suppresses PTGS. The
Agrobacterium
infiltration system was used to demonstrate that TCV CP suppressed the local PTGS as strongly as several previously reported virus-coded suppressors and that the action of TCV CP eliminated the small interfering RNAs associated with PTGS. We have also shown that the TCV CP must be present at the time of silencing initiation to be an effective suppressor. TCV CP was able to suppress PTGS induced by sense, antisense, and double-stranded RNAs, and it prevented systemic silencing. These data suggest that TCV CP functions to suppress RNA silencing at an early initiation step, likely by interfering the function of the Dicer-like RNase in plants.
Tomato Ringspot Virus
Proteins Containing the Nucleoside Triphosphate Binding Domain Are Transmembrane Proteins That Associate with the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Cofractionate with Replication Complexes
Authors: Han Sumin , Sanfaçon Hélène
Published: December 2002

Replication of all known positive-strand RNA viruses occurs in replication complexes associated with intracellular membranes. The putative nucleoside triphosphate binding (NTB) protein of
Tomato ringspot virus
(ToRSV) contains a stretch of hydrophobic residues at its C terminus, suggesting that it may act as a membrane anchor for the replication complex. Anti-NTB antibodies detected two predominant proteins in membrane-enriched fractions (the 66-kDa NTB and 69-kDa NTB-VPg proteins) along with other, larger proteins. The proteins containing the NTB domain cofractionated with markers of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and with ToRSV-specific RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity in sucrose gradients. ToRSV infection induced severe changes in the morphology of the ER in plants expressing an ER-targeted green fluorescent protein (ER-GFP), and proteins containing the NTB domain colocalized with ER-GFP in indirect immunofluorescence assays. The proteins containing the NTB domain have properties of integral membrane proteins. Proteinase K protection assays using purified membranes from infected plants revealed that although the central portion of the NTB domain is exposed to the cytoplasmic face of the membranes, an 8-kDa fragment, recognized by anti-VPg antibodies, is protected by the membranes. This fragment probably consists of the 3-kDa VPg and the 5-kDa stretch of hydrophobic residues at the C terminus of the NTB protein, suggesting a luminal location for the VPg in at least a portion of the molecules. These results provide evidence that proteins containing the NTB domain are transmembrane proteins associated with ER-derived membranes and support the hypothesis that one or several of the proteins containing the NTB domain anchor the replication complex to the ER.
Reduced Expression of the Immediate-Early Protein IE0 Enables Efficient Replication of
Autographa californica
Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus in Poorly Permissive
Spodoptera littoralis
Cells
Authors: Lu Liqun , Du Quansheng , Chejanovsky Nor
Published: December 2002

Infection of
Spodoptera littoralis
SL2 cells with the baculovirus
Autographa californica
multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (Ac
M
NPV) results in apoptosis and low yields of viral progeny, in contrast to infection with
S. littoralis
nucleopolyhedrovirus (SlNPV). By cotransfecting SL2 cells with Ac
M
NPV genomic DNA and a cosmid library representing the complete SlNPV genome, we were able to rescue Ac
M
NPV replication and to isolate recombinant virus vAcSL2, which replicated efficiently in SL2 cells. Moreover, vAcSL2 showed enhanced infectivity for
S. littoralis
larvae compared to Ac
M
NPV. The genome of vAcSL2 carried a 519-bp insert fragment that increased the distance between the TATA element and the transcriptional initiation site (CAGT) of immediate-early gene
ie0
. This finding correlated with low steady-state levels of IE0 and higher steady-state levels of IE1 (the product of the
ie1
gene, a major Ac
M
NPV transactivator, and a multifunctional protein) than of IE0. Mutagenesis of the
ie0
promoter locus by insertion of the chloramphenical acetyltransferase (
cat
) gene yielded a new recombinant Ac
M
NPV with replication properties identical to those of vAcSL2. Thus, the analysis indicated that increasing the steady-state levels of IE1 relative to IE0 should enable Ac
M
NPV replication in SL2 cells. This suggestion was confirmed by constructing a recombinant Ac
M
NPV bearing an extra copy of the
ie1
gene under the control of the
Drosophila hsp70
promoter. These results suggest that IE0 plays a role in the regulation of Ac
M
NPV infection and show, for the first time, that significant improvement in the ability of Ac
M
NPV to replicate in a poorly permissive cell line and organism can be achieved by increasing the expression of the main multiple functional protein, IE1.