- Volume 80, Issue 1, 1999

The finding that a senescence-accelerated mouse (SAMP8) shows early brain ageing, with histopathological changes resembling those seen in scrapie, combined with the discovery of high levels of endogenous murine leukaemia virus (MuLV) in brains of SAMP8 mice prompted us to examine the effect of scrapie infection on MuLV titres in this strain and in one of its progenitors, the AKR strain. Three scrapie strains (ME7, 22L and 139A) that had a comparatively short incubation period in SAMP8 and AKR mice caused an increase in brain MuLV titres that was scrapie strain-specific: in each mouse strain, the greatest effect was with 1 39A, and the least with ME7. The 22A scrapie strain, which has a long incubation period in SAMP8 mice, did not affect MuLV titres in brains of this mouse strain. Previous analyses of scrapie incubation periods in AKR, SAMP8 and another strain derived from an AKR cross (SAMR1) showed an inverse relationship between brain MuLV titres and scrapie incubation periods. This finding, combined with the effect of scrapie on MuLV titres, suggests an interaction between the scrapie infectious process and MuLV replication.

The ‘protein-only’ hypothesis of prion propagation argues that infectious prions consist of PrP(Sc), a conformational isomer of host-derived prion protein (PrP(C)), which can be distinguished from PrP(C) by its partial resistance to proteases. While protease-resistant PrP has been produced by mixing PrP(Sc) and recombinant-derived PrP(C) in vitro, bioassay of any new infectivity has been precluded by the need to use a large molar excess of same species PrP(Sc). Transgenic mice expressing a chimaeric hamster-mouse PrPC (MH2M PrP(C)) are, unlike conventional mice, highly susceptible to Sc237 hamster scrapie. In addition, they produce MH2M PrP(Sc) and infectivity which is pathogenic for conventional mice. We have therefore attempted to produce MH2M PrP(Sc) in vitro as any infectivity produced could be distinguished from the hamster PrP(Sc) used to promote the conversion by bioassay in conventional mice. Although protease-resistant MH2M PrP was produced, no infectivity was detected on bioassay. These results argue that acquisition of protease resistance by PrP(C) is not sufficient for the propagation of infectivity.

A tetracycline-inducible expression system has been established for the prion protein (PrP) in murine neuroblastoma cells (N2a). For this purpose, N2a cells were first stably transfected with either the tetracycline-controlled transactivator or the reverse transactivator. After selection of N2a clones which carried one of these transactivators, the murine PrP gene (Prnp) was introduced under the control of the transactivator-responsive promoter in a second round of stable transfection. Stably double-transfected N2a clones carrying the reverse type but not the normal transactivator were found to be fully inducible, giving a low background of Prnp expression before induction and high expression after induction. Stably double-transfected N2a cells were at least as productive as N2a cells over-expressing Prnp permanently under the control of a strong viral promoter. Furthermore, the selected N2a clones allowed the Prnp expression level to be quantitatively controlled by varying the level of the effector substance, the tetracycline-derivative doxycycline. The clones were fully controllable, as over-expression could be switched on and off as desired. These N2a clones may become an important tool for elucidation of the cellular function of PrP and may pave the way for the tetracycline-inducible expression of many genes in this neuroblastoma cell line.

Bovine papillomavirus type 4 (BPV-4) is a mucosal epitheliotropic virus that is a causative agent in alimentary carcinoma of cattle. The long control region (LCR) of this virus controls expression of the transforming proteins, E8 and E7. Deletion mutants of the LCR were prepared and assayed for their ability to activate transcription from the LCR promoter in primary bovine palate keratinocytes (the natural target cell for BPV-4) and fibroblasts. The LCR was at least an order of magnitude more active in keratinocytes than in fibroblasts. An epithelial specific enhancer was identified that activated transcription from the SV40 promoter to levels identical to the full-length LCR. One of the active sites in the enhancer is 100% conserved in the LCR of human papillomavirus type 16. The results demonstrate that the BPV-4 LCR has an epithelial specific enhancer, which offers the opportunity to study epithelial specific transcriptional regulation of papillomavirus promoters.

The major regulation protein of human papillomavirus (HPV) transcription is the viral E2 protein. Previous studies have identified a variety of alternatively spliced mRNAs containing multiple open reading frames (ORFs) encoding the E2 protein of HPV type 16. In these mRNAs the E2 ORF is contained as an internal ORF. In the present study, the translational capacities of three mRNA species starting at the p97 promoter and containing the 880/2581, 880/2708 and 226/2708 splice junctions upstream of the E2 ORF were investigated. Partial cDNAs spanning the E2 ORF and the related upstream ORFs were synthesized and assessed for E2 protein translation in vivo, in COS cells, and in vitro, in cell-free systems. Results of these analyses indicated that E2 protein was translated from all three mRNAs. Translation efficiency of E2 from the natural polycistronic templates was lower compared with that from a synthetic monocistronic control. Translation from the d-type bicistronic template (226/2708) was more efficient than that from the a-type (880/2708) and a′-type (880/2561) polycistronic templates. Further investigation of the translation of proteins encoded by the ORFs preceding the E2 ORF showed that a- and a′-type templates served for translation mainly of E7 but also of E61, while the d-type template served for translation of E6IV. Overall, the translation data support the suggestion that the corresponding mRNAs may function as polycistronic transcripts.

The full-length major capsid protein, VP1, of the human polyomavirus JC virus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. VP1 protein expressed in E. coli self-assembled into capsid-like particles and caused haemagglutination of human O-type red blood cells. Caesium chloride density-gradient centrifugation analysis revealed that the capsid-like particles consisted of virion-like pseudovirion and empty capsid-like pseudocapsid populations. The morphology of pseudo-virion and pseudocapsid particles was observed under the electron microscope. The pseudovirions contained DNA and RNA molecules but the pseudocapsids did not contain any nucleic acid, as analysed by DNA extraction. DNA-binding activity of VP1 was also demonstrated by the South-Western probing method in vitro. Furthermore, pseudocapsids were able to deliver exogenous DNA into human foetal kidney epithelial cells. These results indicate that recombinant JC virus VP1 is able to self-assemble into capsid-like particles and to package DNA in the absence of the minor capsid proteins, VP2 and VP3. This prokaryotic assembly system may facilitate the investigation of maturation mechanism(s) of polyomaviruses. Furthermore, capsid-like particles of JC virus VP1 generated in E. coli potentially could be used as a human gene transfer vector.

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) which recognized a linear epitope on polypeptide VII of human adenovirus (Ad) serotype 4 also interacted with polypeptides VII of Ad serotypes 2, 5, 7 and 10, but not with 12 and 40, in Western blotting. Utilizing a hexapeptide phage display library, the MAb was found to recognize the consensus sequence RXYXPX. A peptide based on a similar sequence from Ad2, viz. VEEARNYTPTPPPV, was synthesized and shown to inhibit binding of the MAb to polypeptide VII. Direct sequencing of the Ad4 polypeptide VII gene validated these observations, the sequence RNYTPA being detected. Comparison with gene sequences from other Ads indicates that this sequence is preserved in polypeptide VII of types 2 and 5 but in types 12 and 40 insertion of another residue disrupts this motif.

To clarify the biological role of US3 protein kinase of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in vivo, the expression of the viral antigen, the appearance of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation were examined immunohistologically after corneal infection of mice with three different kinds of HSV-2 strain 186: the wild-type virus, a US3-deficient mutant (L1BR1) and its revertant (L1B-11). In both wild-type 186- and L1B-11-infected mice, viral antigen was diffusely found in the corneal epithelium; no apoptotic changes were detected in the epithelial cells. Whereas, in L1BR1-infected mice, HSV-immunoreactivity was localized around the virus-inoculated sites, and a large number of apoptotic bodies were observed in the corneal epithelium with dual-positive reactions for both HSV-immunostaining and TUNEL staining. These results suggest that the US3 protein kinase plays an important role in protecting HSV-2-infected cells from apoptotic death in vivo.

By analogy with glycoprotein H (gH) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PRV), gH may also be essential for penetration and cell-to-cell spread of bovine herpes-virus 1 (BHV-1). This was verified with a gH-negative BHV-1 mutant (gH-BHV-1), which replicated normally on gH-expressing cells but was unable to form plaques and infectious progeny on non-complementing cells. The block in entry could be overcome by polyethylene glycol-induced membrane fusion, demonstrating that gH is not essential for egress. Propagation of gH-BHV-1 on cell lines expressing wild-type gH or gHW450, which complements the function of BHV-1 gD for cell-to-cell spread, indicated that gHW450 is more efficient than wild-type gH in mediating direct spread of BHV-1. This was supported by the plaque sizes induced by rescued gH-BHV-1 that expressed wild-type gH and gHW450. Infection of cell lines expressing gH of BHV-1, HSV-1 and PRV with gH-BHV-1, HSV-1 and PRV mutants demonstrated that heterologous gH molecules could not complement gH function in penetration or cell-to-cell spread.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) reportedly induces the expression of a 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) with no known function in the virus replication cycle. We report here a remarkably specific translocation pattern of hsp70 during HCMV infection of human diploid fibroblasts. Immunofluorescent observation and Western blotting of subcellular fractions revealed nuclear localization of hsp70 early in infection and predominantly cytoplasmic localization of hsp70 late in infection. Treatment of HCMV-infected cells with cycloheximide followed by treatment with actinomycin D allowed virus immediate-early gene expression but inhibited hsp70 nuclear localization. Phosphonoacetic acid and tunicamycin, both of which reportedly inhibit HCMV DNA replication, did not inhibit HCMV-induced nuclear localization of hsp70 but inhibited hsp70 translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. These results indicate a correlation between HCMV multiplication and hsp70 localization, suggesting that hsp70 may play a role in HCMV multiplication.

The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) BMRF1 gene product is an essential component of the viral DNA polymerase and is absolutely required for lytic virus replication. In addition to its polymerase accessory protein function, we recently demonstrated that BMRF1 is a transactivator, inducing expression of the essential oriLyt promoter, BHLF1. However, the regions of BMRF1 required for transactivation of BHLF1 are unknown. Here we demonstrate that the carboxy-terminal portion of the BMRF1 protein (amino acids 378–404), although not required for DNA binding or polymerase processivity function, is required for transactivator function as well as nuclear localization. Site-directed mutagenesis of this region allowed us to separate the transactivator and nuclear localization motifs of BMRF1. The two DNA-binding domains of BMRF1 are also required for efficient transactivation of the BHLF1 promoter.

Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) is a gamma2-herpesvirus that upon experimental infection of laboratory mice establishes a latent infection in B lymphocytes. To date, no virus-encoded gene products have been reported to be expressed during latent infection. In this study, viral transcription has been analysed in a persistently infected B-cell line and abundant and preferential transcription of open reading frame M3 has been identified. Significantly, in situ hybridization analysis of latently infected mouse spleens with probes corresponding to 20 MHV-68 ORFs demonstrated active transcription of a single ORF, corresponding to M3. The kinetics and pattern of transcription of M3 were compared with that of the virally encoded tRNAs (vtRNAs), previously demonstrated to constitute a marker for latent infection in the spleen. Transcription of vtRNAs in splenic tissue could be first detected at 7 days post-inoculation (p.i.) in scattered cells in periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths (PALS). At 10 days p.i., vtRNA transcription was widespread and localized not only to cells in PALS but also to cells within developing germinal centres and from 21 days p.i. expression was detected exclusively within lymphoid follicles. Transcription of vtRNAs could be detected as late as 70 days p.i. In contrast, the histological localization of M3 transcription, which was first detected at 7 days p.i. in scattered cells in PALS, never changed and transcription could not be detected beyond 21 days p.i. These results suggest that M3 is an ORF that is expressed early during the establishment of latency in vivo.

Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is a gammaherpesvirus that is present primarily in a state of low level persistence in primary effusion lymphoma cell lines. Using BCBL-1 cells that harbour HHV-8 but lack Epstein-Barr virus, we demonstrate that sodium butyrate is much more effective than the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) at inducing high levels of class II and III virus transcription and viral DNA replication, but also initiates apoptosis. Apoptosis occurs prior to assembly of virions when high concentrations of butyrate (1-3 mm) are used, whereas reduction of butyrate concentration to 0.3 mm decreases the rate of apoptosis and results in production and secretion of enveloped virions that are visualized at high number by electron microscopy in approximately 20% of BCBL-1 cells. Butyrate induces much higher levels of multiple class II and class III transcripts than does TPA, including v-MIPI, v-IL-6, v-Bcl-2, vGPCR and ORF26. A decrease in concentration of butyrate from 3 to 0.3 mm delays the peak induction of these genes, but peak levels remain higher than peak levels in response to TPA. These studies indicate that the massive apoptosis induced by 3 mm butyrate could be diminished and delayed by reduction of butyrate concentration to 0.3 mm, thereby allowing expression of high levels of lytic-associated genes and production of high yields of HHV-8 virions.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a subviral pathogen that requires pre-existing or concurrent infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). HDV expresses two forms of a single protein, the delta antigen (HDAg), which are identical except for an additional 19 residues at the C terminus of the large form. Within this C-terminal extension a cysteine residue is isoprenylated; this isoprenylation is critical for interaction with HBV envelope proteins to enable virus assembly and release into the medium. Therefore, large HDAg must be recruited to an extracellular compartment. However, immuno-staining with HDAg-specific antibodies has localized the large antigen mainly to the nucleus and supports the notion that large HDAg suppresses virus replication in the nucleus. Since isoprenylation would increase the hydrophobicity of the protein and may favour transport towards specific membranes, the question remains whether the large HDAg detected in the nucleus carries an isoprenyl group. To address this issue, antibodies against the farnesyl modification were generated to allow direct visualization of the antigen by immunofluorescence microscopy. The anti-farnesyl antibodies specifically stained large HDAg expressed in Huh-7 cells, and the signal was largely restricted to the nucleus; the staining pattern could be superimposed on those of cells stained for large HDAg. The large HDAg translocated into the nucleus was therefore isoprenylated. In addition, antibodies specific for the farnesyl modification should be applicable to the study of other similarly isoprenylated proteins.

Borna disease virus (BDV) replicates and transcribes its negative-sense RNA genome in the nucleus. The BDV phosphoprotein (P) is localized in the nucleus of infected cells and cells transfected with P expression constructs. To identify the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of P, COS-7 cells were transfected with wild-type or mutant forms of P fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Whereas GFP alone was exclusively cytoplasmic, P or P-GFP were nuclear. Analysis of carboxy- and amino-terminal truncation mutants of P indicated that amino acids (aa) 20-37 are sufficient to promote efficient nuclear accumulation of the fusion protein. Residual nuclear import of GFP was observed with portions of P including aa 33-134 or aa 134-201, suggesting the presence of additional NLS motifs. The major NLS of P appears to be bipartite. It consists of two basic aa domains, R22RER25 and R30PRKIPR36, separated by four non-basic aa, S26GSP29.

Suppression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is well-documented during and after measles. This immunosuppression is suggested to result from decreased production of interleukin-12 (IL-12), a key interleukin for CMI. In an attempt to clearly discern the role of IL-12 in measles-induced immunosuppression, a measles virus (MV) that expresses biologically active human IL-12 was generated. This was achieved by inserting the coding sequences of the two subunits (p35 and p40) of human IL-12 separated by an internal ribosome entry site in an additional transcription unit between the H and the L genes of MV. Although the IL-12-expressing MV grew slightly slower than the normal MV, it stably maintained the inserted sequences (3.2 kb) and uniformly expressed the foreign genes after 10 passages in cell culture. These findings suggest that MV is a well-suited vector for delivery of proteins of immunogenic and therapeutic importance.

Cell fusion by human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) type 2 or type 3 requires the coexpression of both the fusion (F) and haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoproteins from the same virus type, indicating that promotion of fusion requires a type-specific interaction between F and HN. In this report we have further investigated the interaction of the ectodomains of the F and HN glycoproteins from HPIV2 and HPIV3. We constructed mutants of the HPIV2 F and HPIV3 F proteins (F′-KDEL) lacking a transmembrane anchor and a cytoplasmic tail, and containing a C-terminal signal for retention in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The P12 and P13 F′-KDEL proteins were both found to be retained intracellularly, and neither could induce cell fusion when co-expressed with homotypic HN proteins. Qualitative and quantitative cell-fusion assays also showed that both the P12 F′-KDEL and P13 F′-KDEL proteins have inhibitory effects on P12 F- and HN-induced cell fusion. However, the F-KDEL mutants were found to inhibit cell fusion by two distinct mechanisms. An interaction between P12 F′-KDEL and P12 HN results in intracellular retention of HN, and a block in its transport to the cell surface. In contrast, P13 F′-KDEL was found to suppress the steady-state intracellular expression levels of HPIV2 HN. These results support the conclusion that fusion involves an interaction between the HN and F proteins, and suggest that an association between F and HN may occur in the ER.

The V gene of the paramyxovirus human parainfluenza virus type 2 (hPIV2) is transcribed into both V and P mRNA. The V mRNA is a faithful transcript of the V gene; however, the P mRNA is transcribed by an RNA-editing mechanism in hPIV2-infected mammalian cells. Recombinant baculoviruses (rBV) were constructed containing the wild-type V gene, which has seven G residues at its editing site, and a manipulated V gene with ten G residues at its editing site. A small amount of the P protein was synthesized, in addition to the V protein, when the wild-type V gene was expressed in rBV-infected insect cells. Furthermore, synthesis of the P protein increased when rBV containing the manipulated V gene was used to infect insect cells. Both the P and V proteins were detected after in vitro translation of mRNA from rBV-infected cells. Moreover, G-residue insertions and a deletion were detected in mRNA. Since the P protein was not detected after in vitro translation of V RNA that had been transcribed in vitro by T7 RNA polymerase, these results suggest that the non-encoded G residues were inserted and deleted during transcription in insect cells. This RNA editing-like phenomenon and the implications of the length of the G cluster are discussed.

Partial sequences of the G protein gene of 33 isolates from antigenic group B of human respiratory syncytial virus were determined. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the evolutionary pattern of group B viruses is similar to that previously described for isolates of antigenic group A, including worldwide distribution of related viruses and co-circulation of viruses from different lineages during the same epidemic. Dominance of AG+GA over UC+CU transitions was observed when G sequences of group B viruses were compared, as previously found in viruses from antigenic group A. Interestingly, differences in protein length, determined by the usage of alternative termination codons, were more pronounced in group B than in group A viruses. Changes in protein length correlated with the classification of viruses in different lineages. Thus, mutations that determined termination codon usage seem to have played an important role in the diversification of group B viruses.