- Volume 77, Issue 1, 1996

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) isolates have been classified into subtypes A, B, C and D based on the env gene V3–V5 sequence. The cell tropism of seven new Japanese isolates and a Petaluma (prototype) isolate of FIV, which classified into subtypes A, B and D, for feline lymphoblastoid and feline fibroblastoid cell lines was compared. FeT-1 (CD4±, CD8− and CD9++) and Kumi-1 (CD4++, CD8− and CD9++) cells were used as the interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent feline T-lymphocyte cell lines and FeT-J (CD4+, CD8± and CD9++) and 3201 (CD4++, CD8+ and CD9−) cells were used as the IL-2-independent feline T-lymphocyte cell lines. The feline fibroblastoid cell lines used were Crandell feline kidney (CrFK) and fcwf-4 (both CD4−, CD8− and CD9++) cells. All FIV isolates replicated in all lymphoblastoid cell lines used. All isolates showed the greatest cytopathogenicity for Kumi-1 cells. All isolates replicated even in the CD9-negative 3201 cells. More isolates caused persistent infection in IL-2-independent cell lines than in IL-2-dependent cell lines. The number of subtype B isolates that established persistent infection was limited, only one of four strains. Only the subtype A isolates replicated in CrFK cells, whereas none of the isolates replicated in fcwf-4 cells, which have similar cell surface markers to CrFK cells. The subtype A viruses (CrFK/Petaluma, CrFK/Sendai-1) growing in CrFK cells showed greater cytopathogenicity for lymphoblastoid cell lines than did those (FL-4/Petaluma, Kumi-1/Sendai-1) growing in a lymphoblastoid cell line.

An in vivo model for the study of local and systemic effectors of immunity to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is described. Cotton rats (Sigmodon fulviventer) inoculated in one nostril with a small volume (2 µl) of virus suspension contracted a unilateral nasal infection which did not extend to the contralateral nasal turbinates, nor to the lungs. Immunity to subsequent RSV challenge could be induced by small priming doses (< 10 p.f.u. per animal), but was dependent upon viral replication, as virus inactivated by UV light was not immunogenic. Immunity occurred in the absence of detectable neutralizing serum antibody. The onset of resistance to viral challenge occurred simultaneously in ipsilateral nasal, contralateral nasal and pulmonary tissues. However, low levels of transient viral replication occurred in contralateral nasal turbinates and in lungs following virus challenge, thus indicating that local components of immunity acting at the ipsilateral site of infection were more effective than systemic components acting at the other sites. Further evidence is provided to suggest that three types of immunological effectors — local, persistent systemic and transient systemic — participate in the immune response to RSV infection.

The attachment protein G of human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus is a type II transmembrane glycoprotein. A secreted form of the G protein is also produced. To examine the two distinct hydrophobic regions in the N-terminal 63 amino acids of G protein for their role(s) in membrane insertion and anchoring, transport to the cell surface, and secretion, G proteins that contained point mutations or deletions were synthesized by cell-free transcription-translation and in cells by expression from recombinant vaccinia virus vectors. A mutant protein lacking the entire major hydrophobic region (amino acids 38–63) was not glycosylated, not expressed on the cell surface, and not secreted, because it was not inserted into membranes. In contrast, deletion of the minor hydrophobic region (amino acids 23–31) had no detectable effect on membrane insertion or anchoring. These data provided direct evidence that amino acids 38–63 were necessary for membrane insertion and contained the signal/anchor domain of RS virus G protein. Mutant proteins that lacked either the N-terminal or the C-terminal half of this 26 residue hydrophobic region were inserted into membranes and processed to maturity, showing that either half of this region was sufficient for membrane insertion. However, these two mutant proteins were secreted more abundantly than wild-type G protein. We propose that their truncated hydrophobic domains interacted with membranes in a way that mimicked the N-terminal signal sequence of naturally secreted proteins, allowing proteolytic cleavage of the mutant proteins.

When CV-1 cells expressing haemagglutinin (HA) of fowl plague virus A/FPV/34/Rostock(H7) (FPV) from an SV40-based recombinant vector were superinfected with the human influenza virus A/FM/1/47(H1N1) (FM1), phenotypically mixed progeny virus was observed. It contained cleaved FPV HA and uncleaved FM1 HA, was infectious without trypsin treatment and its infectivity was neutralizable by anti-FPV serum. When superinfection of H7 HA-expressing CV-1 cells was performed at a low multiplicity of infection, multi-cycle replication occurred. Control cells preinfected with an SV40-based recombinant not expressing FPV HA did not allow multi-cycle replication. Multi-cycle replication of FM1 virus was also observed when cells were preinfected with a vector expressing a highly cleavable mutant of influenza virus A/Port Chalmers/1/73(H3) HA carrying an insert of four arginine residues at the cleavage site. This was not the case when cells expressing uncleaved wild-type H3 HA were used. The results show that by phenotypic mixing with recombinant HA of high cleavability, a human influenza virus can be obtained in infectious form from cells lacking a suitable protease to activitate this virus.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a small positive-stranded RNA virus within the family Caliciviridae. Its genome is 7690 nucleotides in length and encodes three open reading frames (ORFs). The smallest, ORF3, is located at the extreme 3′ end of the genome and can potentially encode a polypeptide of approximately 12 kDa. In this paper, we report the identification of an ORF3-encoded polypeptide in FCV-infected cells using an antiserum raised against a bacterially-expressed bacteriophage T7 gene 10-ORF3 fusion protein. Although a small mRNA of 0.5 kb, which could potentially encode ORF3, has been described, reports on the number and size of FCV subgenomic RNAs have varied considerably. To clarify the situation, RNAs from FCV-infected cells were labelled in vivo using [32P]orthophosphate, an approach which provided definitive data. Only two RNA species were detected, the genomic RNA and a subgenomic mRNA of 2.4 kb. The 5′ end of the subgenomic mRNA was mapped to position 5227 on the genomic RNA using RNA sequencing and primer extension methods. RNA isolated from FCV-infected cells in which no subgenomic RNA smaller than 2.4 kb was detectable directed the synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysate of the ORF3-encoded polypeptide. Furthermore, a synthetic RNA copy of the 2.4 kb subgenomic mRNA of FCV, containing both ORF2 and 3, directed the synthesis of both ORF2 and ORF3 polypeptides in the in vitro translation system. These data strongly suggest that ORF3 is expressed from the 2.4 kb subgenomic RNA and that this RNA is functionally bicistronic. The possible mechanisms by which ORF3 is expressed are discussed.

The role that a conserved amino acid motif, found in the non-structural protein NS2 of orbiviruses, plays in the interaction of this protein with single stranded (ss) RNA was investigated by mutation analysis of the NS2 of epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus. An NS2 mutant in which this motif (amino acids 75 to 83) was deleted was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda cells by a recombinant baculovirus and found to be unable to bind to poly(U)-Sepharose. The deletion mutant also differed from wild-type NS2 in that it did not appear to be complexed with ssRNA in cells infected with the baculovirus recombinant. Furthermore, the deletion exerted an adverse effect on the ability of NS2 to form inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of baculovirus-infected insect cells. To further characterize the role of this motif in RNA-binding, specific residues within the region were substituted by site-directed mutagenesis and the mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins. Analysis of the different mutant proteins indicated that in each case ssRNA-binding was impaired relative to that of the wild-type NS2 control. The degree of impairment corresponded to the number of amino acid substitutions and the largest effects were associated with non-conserved substitutions. It is suggested that the conserved motif is an important structural determinant in the interaction of NS2 with ssRNA.

The histopathology of adenovirus pneumonia in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) due to bovine adenovirus type 3-luciferase recombinant virus (BAd3-Luc), which has a 0.7 kb deletion from the early region 3 (E3) replaced with the firefly luciferase gene, was compared with that produced by the parental wild-type (wt) bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAd3). After intranasal inoculation of cotton rats with 3 × 107 p.f.u. of BAd3-Luc, the infectious virus titres in the lungs at various times post-infection were similar to those of animals infected with the parental virus. Quantitative analysis of histopathological changes and immunohistochemical staining showed that the character and severity of the lesions were indistinguishable in the two infections. Luciferase activity was detected in the lungs of BAd3-Lucinoculated animals until 4 days post-infection (p.i.). Antibodies to both BAd3 and luciferase were detected in sera collected from BAd3-Luc-infected animals until at least 6 weeks p.i. These results show that BAd3-Luc produces pulmonary lesions in cotton rats similar to those of wt BAd3 and suggest that BAd3-based vectors may be suitable for the development of live recombinant virus vaccines.

Viral mRNAs from lesions containing human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV-6) have previously been mapped on the viral DNA but relatively little is known about the control of mRNA production, or whether the mapped RNA termini correspond to promoters. By analysis of run-off transcripts synthesized in vitro, primer extension and measurements of promoter activity in fragments of the viral DNA introduced into cells, we have identified three promoters in the early region of the HPV-6b genome. These are: (i) at the end of the long control region upstream of the E6 open reading frame; (ii) upstream of E7 and (iii) upstream of E1. The promoter upstream of E1 was the most active. These results contrast with results of similar assays with HPV-18, in which the strongest promoter was that controlling expression of the transforming genes E6 and E7. In addition, a novel promoter was detected close to E5a, upstream of the late genes.

Three proteins expressed early in the replicative cycle of polyomavirus also play an essential role during virus-mediated tumorigenesis. One of the proteins, middle-T antigen, has been shown to bind cellular proteins involved in cell signalling such as c-Src, phosphatase 2A, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and SHC. Association of middle-T antigen with cellular membranes has been shown to be essential for middle-T-mediated cell transformation. A mutant virus encoding a truncated form of middle-T lacking a carboxy-terminal hydrophobic sequence mediating membrane association is not oncogenic. This mutant middle-T still binds phosphatase 2A through amino-terminal sequences common to small-and middle-T and is localized in the nucleus, although the protein does not contain a classical nuclear targeting sequence. Mutations introduced into the amino-terminal domain affecting the ability of truncated middle-T to bind phosphatase 2A prevented accumulation of the protein in the nucleus and led to localization in the cytoplasm. This suggests that nuclear localization of truncated middle-T may be a consequence of binding to phosphatase 2A.

To study the relationships between herpesviruses recently isolated from different pinniped species, antigenic and genetic analyses were performed. First, herpesviruses isolated from North American harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), a Californian sea lion (Zalophus californianus) and a European grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) were examined in an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with a panel of monoclonal antibodies which had previously been shown to allow typing of herpesviruses from European harbour seals into two distinct virus types: phocid herpesvirus type-1 and type-2 (PhHV-1 and PhHV-2). The EIA data showed that all but one of the isolates from seals ranging in United States coastal waters were PhHV-2-like while the European grey seal herpesvirus was PhHV-1-like. Genetic characterization was facilitated by PCR analysis using primers based on conserved regions of the glycoprotein B and D (gB and gD) genes of the antigenically closely related canid (CHV) and felid (FHV) herpesviruses. Specific amplified products were obtained with five isolates antigenically characterized as PhHV-1-like but not with five PhHV-2-like isolates. Sequence analysis of the PCR products confirmed greatest similarity to members of the genus Varicellovirus of the Alphaherpesvirinae and in particular to CHV. Sequence analysis of two EcoRI fragments of the PhHV-2 genome (European isolate 7848) revealed greatest similarity to gammaherpesviruses and in particular equine herpesvirus-2. Although an unambiguous subgrouping was not feasible, this is the first evidence that PhHV-2 may be a putative gammaherpesvirus of pinnipeds.

Restriction mapping and the determination of scattered nucleotide sequences have permitted a description of the global structure and evolutionary affinities of the canine herpesvirus (CHV) genome. The global structure closely resembles that of the totally sequenced genomes of varicella-zoster virus and equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in having a 37 bp inverted repeat flanking a long unique region (UL) of approximately 100000 bp, and a 10100–10700 bp inverted repeat flanking a short unique region (US) of roughly 7400–8600 bp. On the basis of the sequences obtained, 35 homologues to previously identified herpesvirus gene products were found in UL and the major inverted repeat, and the level of the similarities indicated that CHV belongs to the genus Varicellovirus. Within the genus, CHV appears to be most closely related to EHV-1, pseudorabies virus and feline herpesvirus. Surprisingly, genes for both subunits of the viral ribonucleotide reductase were found to be missing from their equivalent place in other herpesvirus genomes. Either they have been translocated to another position in the CHV genome or, we think more likely, they have been lost.

An analysis of linear antibody-binding sites of the glycoprotein B (gB) molecule of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and of genetic variation within these regions was performed. To achieve this, a series of overlapping fragments spanning the entire coding sequence of the gB gene of the K181 strain of MCMV was expressed in E. coli as fusion proteins with glutathione S-transferase (GST) using the pGEX expression system. Four antibody-binding regions were mapped to locations spanning amino acid residues 17–79 (BS), 155–278 (BE2), 809–926 (SS) and 347–508 (BB and EE), based on reactivity in Western blot analysis of GST-gB fusion proteins with murine polyclonal antiserum raised against MCMV. Only the antibody-binding region BE2 (155–278) elicited an antiserum that exhibited complement-dependent neutralizing activity, and immunization of mice with the fusion protein BE2 led to moderate but significant reductions in the level of MCMV replication in the spleen. Polyclonal antisera raised against the GST-gB fusion proteins detected purified virion proteins of 105 kDa (anti-BS and anti-BE2) and 52 kDa (anti-SS), and are therefore likely to recognize the N-terminal and C-terminal portions of the gB molecule, respectively. The antibody-binding region within amino acid residues 17–79 was found to be MCMV strain-specific, whereas antibody-binding regions within residues 155–278 and 809–926 were found to be conserved among MCMV field isolates. Comparative sequence analysis of the corresponding regions of MCMV gB revealed a level and extent of sequence heterogeneity consistent with these findings.

Human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which are permissive for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication, were used to evaluate virus infection from apical and basolateral membranes of polarized cells. Tests of HCMV infectivity showed that the apical membrane was 20–30-fold more susceptible to infection than the basolateral membrane; in contrast, both membranes were equally susceptible to infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) blocked penetration of virions into polarized RPE cells. This indicated that gB has a function in fusion of the virion envelope with the apical membrane of these cells, as it has with the cell membrane of unpolarized human fibroblasts. In contrast to HSV-1-infected RPE cells, the paracellular permeability of polarized RPE cells changed slowly following infection with HCMV. Confocal microscopy examination of HCMV-infected RPE cells revealed that the pattern of ZO-1 staining was altered at late times. Addition of gB-specific neutralizing MAbs to the apical and basolateral membranes of HCMV-infected RPE cells failed to inhibit plaque development; this indicated that progeny virions infect adjacent cells before disassembly of tight junctions and are sequestered from neutralization during spread across lateral cell membranes. The finding that progeny HCMV virions cross lateral cell membranes, which differ substantially in protein composition from apical membranes, suggests that polarized RPE cells contain multiple receptors for HCMV.

Signal cleavage sites of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) glycoproteins D and B (gD and gB) and an endoproteolytic cleavage site of EHV-1 gB were determined by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and compared with known cleavage sites of homologues in other herpesviruses. Signal cleavage of EHV-1 gD occurred between Arg35 and Ala36 in a region of basic amino acids resembling the endoproteolytic cleavage sites of viral glycoproteins, nine amino acids downstream of the predicted site, while EHV-1 gB was cleaved as predicted between Ala85 and Val86. Endoproteolytic cleavage of EHV-1 gB occurred between Arg548 and Ala549, 28 amino acids downstream of the cleavage site predicted from conserved sequences of other herpesvirus gB homologues. One interpretation of these data is that EHV-1 gB is cleaved internally at both sites, a possibility which was supported by the apparent molecular masses of the unglycosylated gB subunits produced in the presence of tunicamycin. This double cleavage would release a stretch of amino acids which is not present in sequenced gB molecules of other herpesviruses. Experiments with glycosylation inhibitors indicated that cleavage of EHV-1 gB can occur in the absence of glycosylation. N-terminal sequencing also determined that a 42 kDa EHV-1 glycoprotein was a product of internal cleavage of the protein encoded by gene 71. Staggered endoproteolytic cleavage after adjacent arginine residues 506 and 507 separates the 42 kDa C-terminal subunit containing all the cysteine residues from the serine and threonine rich N-terminal region.

We have already cloned the polyhedrin genes of the wild-type strain H Bombyx mori cytoplasmic poly-hedrosis virus (BmCPV) and its mutant, strain A. In this work, polyhedrin genes of mutant BmCPV strains C1 and C2 were cloned and their nucleotide sequences were determined. The polyhedrin amino acid sequences of strains C1 and C2 were compared with that of strain H. Strains C1 and C2 contained two and three sites of mutation in their polyhedrin genes, respectively. Four amino acids (249RLLV) were added at the carboxy terminus of the polyhedrin of strain A, C1 and C2 and the corresponding polyhedrin genes were introduced into a baculovirus expression vector. Intracellular localization of expressed polyhedrin as well as the morphology and localization of polyhedra were investigated by Western blot and microscopy analysis. Recombinant baculovirus containing the polyhedrin gene of strain H produced hexahedral polyhedra in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. However, the hexahedral polyhedra of strain A were localized only in the nucleus. Normal polyhedra were not observed in cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses expressing strain C1 or C2 polyhedrin genes, but amorphous structures were found in infected cells. Results of expression of a chimaeric luciferase-containing carboxy-terminal sequence of strain A demonstrated that this sequence was responsible for the nuclear localization. We suggest that a mutation at the carboxy terminus of BmCPV polyhedrin led to nuclear localization of polyhedrin and that several other mutations were responsible for modification of the crystallization pattern of polyhedrin.