Proteolytic maturation of vaccinia virus core proteins: identification of a conserved motif at the N termini of the 4b and 25K virion proteins

Palisade structure in intact vaccinia virions

Vaccinia virus assembly in the cytoplasm of infected cells involves the formation of a biconcave viral core inside the maturing viral particle. The boundary of the core is defined by a pseudohexagonal palisade layer, composed of trimers projecting from an inner wall. To understand the assembly of this complex core architecture, we obtained a subnanometer structure of the palisade trimer by cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging of purified intact virions. Using AlphaFold2 structure predictions, we determined that the palisade is formed from trimers of the proteolytically processed form of the viral protein A10. In addition, we found that each A10 protomer associates with an α-helix (residues 24-66) of A4. Cellular localization assays outside the context of infection demonstrate that the A4 N-terminus is necessary and sufficient to interact with A10. The interaction between A4 and A10 provides insights into how the palisade layer might become tightly associated with the viral membrane during virion maturation. Reconstruction of the palisade layer reveals that, despite local hexagonal ordering, the A10/A4 trimers are widely spaced, suggesting that additional components organize the lattice. This spacing would, however, allow the adoption of the characteristic biconcave shape of the viral core. Finally, we also found that the palisade incorporates multiple copies of a hexameric portal structure. We suggest that these portals are formed by E6, a viral protein that is essential for virion assembly and required to release viral mRNA from the core early in infection.IMPORTANCEPoxviruses such as variola virus (smallpox) and monkeypox cause diseases in humans. Other poxviruses, including vaccinia and modified vaccinia Ankara, are used as vaccine vectors. Given their importance, a greater structural understanding of poxvirus virions is needed. We now performed cryo-electron tomography of purified intact vaccinia virions to study the structure of the palisade, a protein lattice that defines the viral core boundary. We identified the main viral proteins that form the palisade and their interaction surfaces and provided new insights into the organization of the viral core.

Combination of deep XLMS with deep learning reveals an ordered rearrangement and assembly of a major protein component of the vaccinia virion

IMPORTANCE

An outstanding problem in the understanding of poxvirus biology is the molecular structure of the mature virion. Via deep learning methods combined with chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry, we have addressed the structure and assembly pathway of P4a, a key poxvirus virion core component.

The Vaccinia virion: Filling the gap between atomic and ultrastructure

We have investigated the molecular-level structure of the Vaccinia virion in situ by protein-protein chemical crosslinking, identifying 4609 unique-mass crosslink ions at an effective FDR of 0.33%, covering 2534 unique pairs of crosslinked protein positions, 625 of which were inter-protein. The data were statistically non-random and rational in the context of known structures, and showed biological rationality. Crosslink density strongly tracked the individual proteolytic maturation products of p4a and p4b, the two major virion structural proteins, and supported the prediction of transmembrane domains within membrane proteins. A clear sub-network of four virion structural proteins provided structural insights into the virion core wall, and proteins VP8 and A12 formed a strongly-detected crosslinked pair with an apparent structural role. A strongly-detected sub-network of membrane proteins A17, H3, A27 and A26 represented an apparent interface of the early-forming virion envelope with structures added later during virion morphogenesis. Protein H3 seemed to be the central hub not only for this sub-network but also for an 'attachment protein' sub-network comprising membrane proteins H3, ATI, CAHH(D8), A26, A27 and G9. Crosslinking data lent support to a number of known interactions and interactions within known complexes. Evidence is provided for the membrane targeting of genome telomeres. In covering several orders of magnitude in protein abundance, this study may have come close to the bottom of the protein-protein crosslinkome of an intact organism, namely a complex animal virus.

Identification and characterization of Orf virus 050 protein proteolysis

The Orf virus 050 (ORFV050) gene is located in the core region of the ORFV genome. It is similar to Vaccinia virus (VV) Copenhagen L4R, and encodes the DNA-binding virion core protein VP8, which has structures similar to the VV P25K core protein and may undergo similar proteolytic processing during virus assembly. Three conserved Ala-Gly-X motifs at putative cleavage sites were identified in ORFV050. To investigate the proteolysis of ORFV050 and its participation in viral assembly, full-length and site-directed mutant ORFV050 recombinant proteins were constructed and expressed. Two distinct protein bands of 28.5 and 25 kDa were detected in the infected cells using anti-ORFV050 polyclonal antiserum. A potential cleavage site was identified at amino acids 30-32 of ORFV050. Mutation of AG/A to (R) in ORFV050 abolished the process of proteolysis. ORFV050 is a late gene synthesized during viral replication in the host cytoplasm. According to these results, we conclude that ORFV050 undergoes proteolysis and plays an important role in viral assembly.

Protein Primary Structure of the Vaccinia Virion at Increased Resolution

Here we examine the protein covalent structure of the vaccinia virus virion. Within two virion preparations, >88% of the theoretical vaccinia virus-encoded proteome was detected with high confidence, including the first detection of products from 27 open reading frames (ORFs) previously designated "predicted," "uncharacterized," "inferred," or "hypothetical" polypeptides containing as few as 39 amino acids (aa) and six proteins whose detection required nontryptic proteolysis. We also detected the expression of four short ORFs, each of which was located within an ORF ("ORF-within-ORF"), including one not previously recognized or known to be expressed. Using quantitative mass spectrometry (MS), between 58 and 74 proteins were determined to be packaged. A total of 63 host proteins were also identified as candidates for packaging. Evidence is provided that some portion of virion proteins are "nicked" via a combination of endoproteolysis and concerted exoproteolysis in a manner, and at sites, independent of virus origin or laboratory procedures. The size of the characterized virion phosphoproteome was doubled from 189 (J. Matson, W. Chou, T. Ngo, and P. D. Gershon, Virology 452-453:310-323, 2014, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2014.01.012) to 396 confident, unique phosphorylation sites, 268 of which were within the packaged proteome. This included the unambiguous identification of phosphorylation "hot spots" within virion proteins. Using isotopically enriched ATP, 23 sites of intravirion kinase phosphorylation were detected within nine virion proteins, all at sites already partially occupied within the virion preparations. The clear phosphorylation of proteins RAP94 and RP19 was consistent with the roles of these proteins in intravirion early gene transcription. In a blind search for protein modifications, cysteine glutathionylation and O-linked glycosylation featured prominently. We provide evidence for the phosphoglycosylation of vaccinia virus proteins.

IMPORTANCE

Poxviruses are among the most complex and irregular virions, about whose internal structure little is known. To better understand poxvirus virion structure, imaging should be supplemented with other tools. Here, we provide a deep study of the covalent structure of the vaccinia virus virion using the various tools of contemporary mass spectrometry.

Isolation and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Against a Virion Core Protein of Orf Virus Strain NA1/11 As Potential Diagnostic Tool for Orf Viruses

Orf is caused by the orf virus (ORFV) and is a non-systemic, widespread disease afflicting sheep, goats, wild ruminants, and humans. Recent outbreaks in sheep and goats in Jilin and other northern Chinese provinces raise concerns about orf control in China. Thirty-five hybridoma clones were constructed from splenocytes of BALB/c mice immunized with natural orf virus protein. These hybridomas were used to produce antibodies targeting ORFV proteins. Immunological characterization of these monoclonal antibodies (MAb) showed that the 5F2D8 hybridoma line produced MAb that can recognize the 100, 70, and 20 kDa bands from total viral lysate. This hybridoma was further characterized by immunoprecipitation and peptide sequencing. The results indicate that 5F2D8 specifically recognizes orf virus encoded protein ORFV086, a late expression virion core protein that plays important roles in progeny virus particle assembly, morphogenesis, and maturity. Further experiments demonstrate that this MAb did not react with other viral proteins of ORFV orthopoxviruses, but reacted strongly to different field isolates of orf viruses from China. Additionally, this anti-ORFV086 MAb possesses ORFV neutralizing capability. Sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis determined that ORFV086 of NA1/11, clustered together with NZ2 and IA82, is highly conserved and has structural similarities with the Vaccinia virus core protein P4a. As such, this MAb has great potential as a diagnostic tool for orf viruses, in the further exploration of orf pathogenesis, and in disease control and prevention.

Identification and Characterization of a Cleavage Site in the Proteolysis of Orf Virus 086 Protein

The orf virus (ORFV) is among the parapoxvirus genus of the poxviridae family, but little is known about the proteolytic pathways of ORFV encoding proteins. By contrast, the proteolysis mechanism of the vaccinia virus (VV) has been extensively explored. Vaccinia virus core protein P4a undergoes a proteolytic process that takes place at a conserved cleavage site Ala-Gly-X (where X is any amino acid) and participates in virus assembly. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that an ORFV encoding protein, ORFV086, has a similar structure to the vaccinia virus P4a core protein. In this study, we focus on the kinetic analysis and proteolysis mechanism of ORFV086. We found, via kinetic analysis, that ORFV086 is a late gene that starts to express at 8 h post infection at mRNA level and 12–24 h post infection at the protein level. The ORFV086 precursor and a 21 kDa fragment can be observed in mature ORFV virions. The same bands were detected at only 3 h post infection, suggesting that both the ORFV086 precursor and the 21 kDa fragment are viral structural proteins. ORFV086 was cleaved from 12 to 24 h post infection. The cleavage took place at different sites, resulting in seven bands with differing molecular weights. Sequence alignment revealed that five putative cleavage sites were predicted at C-terminal and internal regions of ORFV086. To investigate whether those cleavage sites are involved in proteolytic processing, full length and several deletion mutant ORFV086 recombinant proteins were expressed and probed. The GGS site that produced a 21 kDa cleavage fragment was confirmed by identification of N/C-terminal FLAG epitope recombinant proteins, site-directed mutagenesis and pulse-chase analysis. Interestingly, chase results demonstrated that, at late times, ORFV086 is partially cleaved. Taken together, we concluded that GGS is a cleavage site in ORFV086 and produces a 21 kDa fragment post infection. Both ORFV086 precursor and the 21 kDa fragment are structural proteins of mature ORFV virions. ORFV086 and its cleaved products are indispensable for correct assembly of mature viral particles and this proteolytic processing of ORFV086 may play an essential role in viral morphogenic transition.

Vaccinia Virus B1 Kinase Is Required for Postreplicative Stages of the Viral Life Cycle in a BAF-Independent Manner in U2OS Cells

The vaccinia virus B1R gene encodes a highly conserved protein kinase that is essential for the poxviral life cycle. As demonstrated in many cell types, B1 plays a critical role during viral DNA replication when it inactivates the cellular host defense effector barrier to autointegration factor (BAF or BANF1). To better understand the role of B1 during infection, we have characterized the growth of a B1-deficient temperature-sensitive mutant virus (Cts2 virus) in U2OS osteosarcoma cells. In contrast to all other cell lines tested to date, we found that in U2OS cells, Cts2 viral DNA replication is unimpaired at the nonpermissive temperature. However, the Cts2 viral yield in these cells was reduced more than 10-fold, thus indicating that B1 is required at another stage of the vaccinia virus life cycle. Our results further suggest that the host defense function of endogenous BAF may be absent in U2OS cells but can be recovered through either overexpression of BAF or fusion of U2OS cells with mouse cells in which the antiviral function of BAF is active. Interestingly, examination of late viral proteins during Cts2 virus infection demonstrated that B1 is required for optimal processing of the L4 protein. Finally, execution point analyses as well as electron microscopy studies uncovered a role for B1 during maturation of poxviral virions. Overall, this work demonstrates that U2OS cells are a novel model system for studying the cell type-specific regulation of BAF and reveals a role for B1 beyond DNA replication during the late stages of the viral life cycle.

IMPORTANCE

The most well characterized role for the vaccinia virus B1 kinase is to facilitate viral DNA replication by phosphorylating and inactivating BAF, a cellular host defense responsive to foreign DNA. Additional roles for B1 later in the viral life cycle have been postulated for decades but are difficult to examine directly due to the importance of B1 during DNA replication. Here, we demonstrate that in U2OS cells, a B1 mutant virus escapes the block in DNA replication observed in other cell types and, instead, this mutant virus exhibits impaired late protein accumulation and incomplete maturation of new virions. These data provide the clearest evidence to date that B1 is needed for multiple critical junctures in the poxviral life cycle in a manner that is both dependent on and independent of BAF.

Static and dynamic protein phosphorylation in the Vaccinia virion

To the best of our knowledge, two phosphorylation sites have been reported previously, among 11 known Vaccinia virus phosphoproteins. Here, via phosphopeptide mass spectrometry, up to 189 phosphorylation sites were identified among 48 proteins in preparations of purified Vaccinia mature virus (MV). 8.5% of phospho-residues were pTyr. Viral phosphoproteins were found in diverse functional classes, including structural proteins, membrane proteins and RNA polymerase subunits. Among the nine identified membrane phosphoproteins, the sites in just one, namely A14L, were deduced to be internal with respect to the accompanying membrane. Examination of sites in known substrates of the Vaccinia-encoded protein kinase VPK2, indicated VPK2 to be a proline-dependent kinase. The MV phosphoproteome was enriched in potential substrates of cellular kinases belonging to the CDK2/CDK3, CK2, and p38 groups. Quantitative mass spectrometry identified several sites that became phosphorylated during intravirion kinase activation in vitro, each showing one of two distinct pH-dependency profiles.

Identification of novel antipoxviral agents: mitoxantrone inhibits vaccinia virus replication by blocking virion assembly

The bioterror threat of a smallpox outbreak in an unvaccinated population has mobilized efforts to develop new antipoxviral agents. By screening a library of known drugs, we identified 13 compounds that inhibited vaccinia virus replication at noncytotoxic doses. The anticancer drug mitoxantrone is unique among the inhibitors identified in that it has no apparent impact on viral gene expression. Rather, it blocks processing of viral structural proteins and assembly of mature progeny virions. The isolation of mitoxantrone-resistant vaccinia strains underscores that a viral protein is the likely target of the drug. Whole-genome sequencing of mitoxantrone-resistant viruses pinpointed missense mutations in the N-terminal domain of vaccinia DNA ligase. Despite its favorable activity in cell culture, mitoxantrone administered intraperitoneally at the maximum tolerated dose failed to protect mice against a lethal intranasal infection with vaccinia virus.

Characterization of vaccinia virus A12L protein proteolysis and its participation in virus assembly

Vaccinia virus (VV) undergoes a proteolytic processing to evolve from immature virus particles into intracellular mature virus particles. Most of structural core protein precursors such as p4a, p4b, and p25K are assembled into previrions and then proteolytically processed to yield core proteins, 4a, 4b, and 25 K, which become components of a mature virus particle. These structural rearrangements take place at a conserved cleavage motif, Ala-Gly-X (where X is any amino acid) and catalyzed by a VV encoded proteinase, the I7L gene product. The VV A12L gene product, a 25 kDa protein synthesized at late times during infection is cleaved at an N-terminal AG/A site, resulting in a 17 kDa cleavage product. However, due to the distinct characteristics of A12L proteolysis such as the localization of both the A12L full-length protein and its cleavage product in mature virions and two putative cleavage sites (Ala-Gly-Lys) located at internal and C-terminal region of A12L ORF, it was of interest to examine the A12L proteolysis for better understanding of regulation and function of VV proteolysis. Here, we attempted to examine the in vivo A12L processing by: determining the kinetics of the A12L proteolysis, the responsible viral protease, and the function of the A12L protein and its cleavage events. Surprisingly, the A12L precursor was cleaved into multiple peptides not only at an N-terminal AG/A but also at both an N- and a C-terminus. Despite the involvement of I7L proteinase for A12L proteolysis, its incomplete processing with slow kinetics and additional cleavages not at the two AG/K sites demonstrate unique regulation of VV proteolysis. An immunoprecipitation experiment in concert with N-terminal sequencing analyses and mass spectrometry led to the identification of VV core and membrane proteins, which may be associated with the A12L protein and suggested possible involvement of A12L protein and its cleavage products in multiple stages in virus morphogenesis.

Vaccinia virus A12L protein and its AG/A proteolysis play an important role in viral morphogenic transition

Like the major vaccinia virus (VV) core protein precursors, p4b and p25K, the 25 kDa VV A12L late gene product (p17K) is proteolytically maturated at the conserved Ala-Gly-Ala motif. However, the association of the precursor and its cleavage product with the core of mature virion suggests that both of the A12L proteins may be required for virus assembly. Here, in order to test the requirement of the A12L protein and its proteolysis in viral replication, a conditional lethal mutant virus (vvtetOA12L) was constructed to regulate A12L expression by the presence or absence of an inducer, tetracycline. In the absence of tetracycline, replication of vvtetOA12L was inhibited by 80% and this inhibition could be overcome by transient expression of the wild-type copy of the A12L gene. In contrast, mutation of the AG/A site abrogated the ability of the transfected A12L gene to rescue, indicating that A12L proteolysis plays an important role in viral replication. Electron microscopy analysis of the A12L deficient virus demonstrated the aberrant virus particles, which were displayed by the AG/A site mutation. Thus, we concluded that the not only A12L protein but also its cleavage processing plays an essential role in virus morphogenic transition.

Analysis of vaccinia virus temperature-sensitive I7L mutants reveals two potential functional domains

As an approach to initiating a structure-function analysis of the vaccinia virus I7L core protein proteinase, a collection of conditional-lethal mutants in which the mutation had been mapped to the I7L locus were subjected to genomic sequencing and phenotypic analyses. Mutations in six vaccinia virus I7L temperature sensitive mutants fall into two groups: changes at three positions at the N-terminal end between amino acids 29 and 37 and two different substitutions at amino acid 344, near the catalytic domain. Regardless of the position of the mutation, mutants at the non-permissive temperature failed to cleave core protein precursors and had their development arrested prior to core condensation. Thus it appears that the two clusters of mutations may affect two different functional domains required for proteinase activity.

In a nutshell: structure and assembly of the vaccinia virion

Poxviruses comprise a large family of viruses characterized by a large, linear dsDNA genome, a cytoplasmic site of replication and a complex virion morphology. The most notorious member of the poxvirus family is variola, the causative agent of smallpox. The laboratory prototype virus used for the study of poxviruses is vaccinia, the virus that was used as a live, naturally attenuated vaccine for the eradication of smallpox. Both the morphogenesis and structure of poxvirus virions are unique among viruses. Poxvirus virions apparently lack any of the symmetry features common to other viruses such as helical or icosahedral capsids or nucleocapsids. Instead poxvirus virions appear as "brick shaped" or "ovoid" membrane-bound particles with a complex internal structure featuring a walled, biconcave core flanked by "lateral bodies." The virion assembly pathway involves a remarkable fabrication of membrane-containing crescents and immature virions, which evolve into mature virions in a process that is unparalleled in virology. As a result of significant advances in poxvirus genetics and molecular biology during the past 15 years, we can now positively identify over 70 specific gene products contained in poxvirus virions, and we can describe the effects of mutations in over 50 specific genes on poxvirus assembly. This review summarizes these advances and attempts to assemble them into a comprehensible and thoughtful picture of poxvirus structure and assembly.

Vaccinia virus proteolysis--a review

It is well known that viruses, as obligate intracellular parasites, must use their hosts' metabolic machinery in order to replicate their genomes and form infectious progeny virions. What is less well known are the details of how viruses make sure that once all the necessary proteins are made, that they assume the correct configuration at the proper time in order to catalyse the efficient assembly of infectious virions. One of the methods employed by viruses to regulate this process is the proteolytic cleavage of viral proteins. Over the past several decades, studies in numerous laboratories have demonstrated that morphogenic proteolysis plays a major and essential role during the assembly and maturation of infectious poxvirus virions. In this review we describe the history of vaccinia virus proteolysis as a prototypic viral system.

A vaccinia virus lacking A10L: viral core proteins accumulate on structures derived from the endoplasmic reticulum

The assembly of the intracellular mature virus (IMV) of vaccinia virus (VV), the prototype member of the poxviridae, is poorly understood and controversial. We have previously proposed that the IMV is composed of a continuous double-membraned cisterna derived from the smooth ER, whereby the genome-containing core is enwrapped by a part of this cisterna. In the present study we characterize a mutant virus in which the synthesis of the major core protein A10L can be conditionally expressed. Without A10L, IMVs are not made; immature viruses (IVs) and regularly stacked membrane structures that contain viral DNA, accumulate instead. By immunolabelling of thawed cryo-sections these stacks contain most of the viral core proteins and low levels of viral membrane proteins. Importantly, the stacked membranes could be labelled with antibodies to an ER marker protein, implying that they are derived from this cellular compartment. By electron tomography (ET) on semi-thin cryo-sections we show that the membranes of the stacks are continuous with the membranes of the IVs. Direct continuities with ER cisternae, to which the stacks are tightly apposed, were, however, not unequivocally seen. Finally, ET revealed how the IV membranes separated to become two-membrane profiles. Taken together, this study shows that VV core proteins and the viral DNA can coassemble onto ER-derived membranes that are continuous with the membranes of the IVs.

Development of an in vitro cleavage assay system to examine vaccinia virus I7L cysteine proteinase activity

Through the use of transient expression assays and directed genetics, the vaccinia virus (VV) I7L gene product has been implicated as the major maturational proteinase required for viral core protein cleavage to occur during virion assembly. To confirm this hypothesis and to enable a biochemical examination of the I7L cysteine proteinase, an in vitro cleavage assay was developed. Using extracts of VV infected cells as the source of enzyme, reaction conditions were developed which allowed accurate and efficient cleavage of exogenously added core protein precursors (P4a, P4b and P25K). The cleavage reaction proceeded in a time-dependent manner and was optimal when incubated at 25°C. I7L-mediated cleavage was not affected by selected inhibitors of metalloproteinases, aspartic acid proteinases or serine proteinases (EDTA, pepstatin, and PMSF, respectively), but was sensitive to several general cysteine proteinase inhibitors (E-64, EST, Iodoacetic acid, and NEM) as well as the I7L active site inhibitor TTP-6171 [C. Byrd et al., J. Virol. 78:12147–12156 (2004)]. Finally, in antibody pull down experiments, it could be demonstrated that monospecific αI7L serum depleted the enzyme activity whereas control sera including αG1L, directed against the VV metalloproteinase, did not. Taken together, these data provide biochemical evidence that I7L is a cysteine proteinase which is directly involved in VV core protein cleavage. Furthermore, establishment of this I7L-mediated in vitro cleavage assay should enable future studies into the enzymology and co-factor requirements of the proteolysis reaction, and facilitate antiviral drug development against this essential target.

Cell biological and functional characterization of the vaccinia virus F10 kinase: implications for the mechanism of virion morphogenesis

The vaccinia virus F10 protein is one of two virally encoded protein kinases. A phenotypic analysis of infections involving a tetracycline-inducible recombinant (vDeltaiF10) indicated that F10 is involved in the early stages of virion morphogenesis, as previously reported for the mutants ts28 and ts15. The proteins encoded by ts28 and ts15 have primary defects in enzymatic activity and thermostability, respectively. Using a transient complementation assay, we demonstrated that the enzymatic activity of F10 is essential for its biological function and that both its enzymatic and biological functions depend upon N-terminal sequences that precede the catalytic domain. An execution point analysis indicated that in addition to its role at the onset of morphogenesis, F10 is also required at later stages, when membrane crescents surround virosomal contents and develop into immature virions. The F10 protein is phosphorylated in vivo, appears to be tightly associated with intracellular membranes, and can bind to specific phosphoinositides in vitro. When F10 is repressed or impaired, the phosphorylation of several cellular and viral proteins appears to increase in intensity, suggesting that F10 may normally intersect with cellular signaling cascades via the activation of a phosphatase or the inhibition of another kinase. These cascades may drive the F10-induced remodeling of membranes that accompanies virion biogenesis. Upon the release of ts28-infected cultures from a 40 degrees C-induced block, a synchronous resumption of morphogenesis that culminates in the production of infectious virus can be observed. The pharmacological agents H89 and cerulenin, which are inhibitors of endoplasmic reticulum exit site formation and de novo lipid synthesis, respectively, block this recovery.

Genetic and cell biological characterization of the vaccinia virus A30 and G7 phosphoproteins

The vaccinia virus proteins A30 and G7 are known to play essential roles in early morphogenesis, acting prior to the formation of immature virions. Their repression or inactivation results in the accumulation of large virosomes, detached membrane crescents, and empty immature virions. We have undertaken further study of these proteins to place them within the context of the F10 kinase, the A14 membrane protein, and the H5 phosphoprotein, which have been the focus of previous studies within our laboratory. Here we confirm that both A30 and G7 undergo F10 kinase-dependent phosphorylation in vivo and recapitulate that modification of A30 in vitro. Although the detached crescents observed upon loss of A30 or G7 echo those seen upon repression of A14, no interaction between A30/G7 and A14 could be detected. We did, however, determine that the A30 and G7 proteins are unstable during nonpermissive tsH5 infections, suggesting that the loss of A30/G7 is the underlying cause for the formation of lacy or curdled virosomes. We also determined that the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the Cts11 virus is due to mutations in two codons of the G7L gene. Phenotypic analysis of nonpermissive Cts11 infections indicated that these amino acid substitutions compromise G7 function without impairing the stability of either G7 or A30. Utilizing Cts11 in conjunction with a rifampin release assay, we determined that G7 acts at multiple stages of virion morphogenesis that can be distinguished both by ultrastructural analysis and by monitoring the phosphorylation status of several viral proteins that undergo F10-mediated phosphorylation.

Vaccinia virus mutants with alanine substitutions in the conserved G5R gene fail to initiate morphogenesis at the nonpermissive temperature

The initial characterization of the product of the vaccinia virus G5R gene, which is conserved in all poxviruses sequenced to date, is described. The G5 protein was detected in the core fraction of purified virions, and transcription and translation of the G5R open reading frame occurred early in infection, independently of DNA replication. Attempts to delete the G5R gene and isolate a replication-competent virus were unsuccessful, suggesting that G5R encodes an essential function. We engineered vaccinia virus mutants with clusters of charged amino acids changed to alanines and determined that several were unable to replicate at 40 degrees C but grew well at 37 degrees C. At the nonpermissive temperature, viral gene expression and DNA replication and processing were unperturbed. However, tyrosine phosphorylation and proteolytic cleavage of the A17 membrane protein and proteolytic cleavage of core proteins were inhibited at 40 degrees C, suggesting an assembly defect. The cytoplasm of cells that had been infected at the nonpermissive temperature contained large granular areas devoid of cellular organelles or virus structures except for occasional short crescent-shaped membranes and electron-dense lacy structures. The temperature-sensitive phenotype of the G5R mutants closely resembled the phenotypes of vaccinia virus mutants carrying conditionally lethal F10R protein kinase and H5R mutations. F10, although required for phosphorylation of A17 and viral membrane formation, was synthesized by the G5R mutants under nonpermissive conditions. An intriguing possibility is that G5 participates in the formation of viral membranes, a poorly understood event in poxvirus assembly.

Role of the I7 protein in proteolytic processing of vaccinia virus membrane and core components

Certain core and membrane proteins of vaccinia virus undergo proteolytic cleavage at consensus AG/X sites. The processing of core proteins is coupled to morphogenesis and is inhibited by the drug rifampin, whereas processing of the A17 membrane protein occurs at an earlier stage of assembly and is unaffected by the drug. A temperature-sensitive mutant with a lesion in the I7L gene exhibits blocks in morphogenesis and in cleavage of core proteins. We found that the mutant also failed to cleave the A17 membrane protein. To further investigate the role of the putative I7 protease, we constructed a conditional lethal mutant in which the I7L gene was regulated by the Escherichia coli lac repressor. In the absence of an inducer, the synthesis of I7 was repressed, proteolytic processing of the A17 membrane protein and the L4 core protein was inhibited, and virus morphogenesis was blocked. Under these conditions, expression of the wild-type I7 protein in trans restored protein processing. In contrast, rescue did not occur when the putative protease active site residue histidine 241 or cysteine 328 of I7 was converted to alanine. The mutation of an authentic AG/A and an alternative AG/S motif of L4 prevented substrate cleavage. Similarly, when AG/X sites of A17 were mutated, I7-induced cleavages at the N and C termini failed to occur. In conclusion, we provide evidence that I7 is a viral protease that is required for AG/X-specific cleavages of viral membrane and core proteins, which occur at early and late stages of virus assembly, respectively.

Molecular dissection of the vaccinia virus I7L core protein proteinase

The vaccinia virus I7L gene product is predicted to be a cysteine proteinase and is demonstrated in this study to be responsible for cleavage of each of the three major core protein precursors (P4a, P4b, and P25K) in vivo. Mutagenesis of the putative catalytic triad of I7L or of the cleavage sites in the core protein precursors inhibits processing. A truncated protein lost the ability to cleave the core protein precursors.

Investigation of structural and functional motifs within the vaccinia virus A14 phosphoprotein, an essential component of the virion membrane

We have previously reported the construction and characterization of an inducible recombinant virus in which expression of the vaccinia virus membrane protein A14 is experimentally regulated using the tetracycline operator-repressor system. Repression of A14, which results in a 1,000-fold reduction in viral yield, leads to an early block in viral morphogenesis characterized by the accumulation of large virosomes, empty "crescents" that fail to contact these virosomes, and, most strikingly, large numbers of aberrant 25-nm vesicles. Here we report the establishment of a transient-complementation system for the structure-function analysis of A14. We have constructed numerous mutant alleles of A14 designed to identify and test the importance of key structural and sequence motifs within A14, including sites of posttranslational modification, such as glycosylation, phosphorylation, and dimerization. From these studies we have determined that robust complementation ability requires an intact N terminus and two regions flanking the first membrane-spanning domain of A14. We show that A14 is modified by N-linked glycosylation both in vitro and in vivo. However, only a minority of A14 molecules are glycosylated in vivo and these are not encapsidated. In this report we also identify the sole phosphorylated serine residue of A14 as lying within the NHS(85) motif that undergoes glycosylation. Additionally, we show that the Cys(71) residue is required for intermolecular disulfide bond formation and describe the properties of a virus expressing an allele of A14 that cannot form disulfide-linked dimers.

Vaccinia virus J1R protein: a viral membrane protein that is essential for virion morphogenesis

Vaccinia virus, a member of the poxvirus family, contains a conserved J1R open reading frame that encodes a late protein of 17.8 kDa. The 18-kDa J1R protein is associated mainly with the membrane fraction of intracellular mature virus particles. This study examines the biological function of J1R protein in the vaccinia virus life cycle. A recombinant vaccinia virus was constructed to conditionally express J1R protein in an isopropyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible manner. When J1R is not expressed during vaccinia virus infection, the virus titer is reduced approximately 100-fold. In contrast, J1R protein is not required for viral gene expression, as indicated by protein pulse-labeling. J1R protein is also not required for DNA processing, as the resolution of the concatemer junctions of replicated viral DNA was detected without IPTG. A deficiency of J1R protein caused a severe delay in the processing of p4a and p4b into mature core proteins 4a and 4b, indicating that J1R protein participates in virion morphogenesis. Infected cells grown in the absence of IPTG contained very few intracellular mature virions in the cytoplasm, and enlarged viroplasm structures accumulated with viral crescents attached at the periphery. Abundant intermediate membrane structures of abnormal shapes were observed, and many immature virions were either empty or partially filled, indicating that J1R protein is important for DNA packaging into immature virions. J1R protein also coimmunoprecipited with A45R protein in infected cells. In summary, these results indicate that vaccinia virus J1R is a membrane protein that is required for virus growth and plaque formation. J1R protein interacts with A45R protein and performs an important role during immature virion formation in cultured cells.

The Vaccinia virus E8R gene product: a viral membrane protein that is made early in infection and packaged into the virions' core

Vaccinia virus (VV), a member of the poxvirus family, is unique among most other DNA viruses in that both transcription and DNA replication occur in the cytoplasm of the host cell. It was recently shown by electron microscopy (EM) that soon after viral DNA synthesis is initiated in HeLa cells, the replication sites become enwrapped by the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In the same study, a novel VV membrane protein, the E8R gene product, that may play a role in the ER wrapping process was identified (N. Tolonen, L. Doglio, S. Schleich, and J. Krijnse Locker, Mol. Biol. Cell 12:2031-2046, 2001). In the present study, the gene product of E8R was characterized both biochemically and morphologically. We show that E8R is made predominantly early in infection but is packaged into the virion. On two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, the protein appeared as a single spot throughout the VV life cycle; however, in the assembled virion, the protein underwent several modifications which resulted in a change in its molecular weight and its isoelectric point. EM of labeled cryosections of infected HeLa cells showed that the protein localized to the ER and to membranes located on one side of the Golgi complex as early as 1 h postinfection. Late in infection, E8R was additionally associated with membranes of immature virions and with intracellular mature viruses. Although E8R is predominantly associated with membranes, we show that the protein is associated with viral cores; the protein is present in cores made with NP-40-dithiothreitol as well as in incoming cores, the result of the viral entry process, early in infection. Finally, we show that E8R can be phosphorylated in vitro by the viral kinase F10L. It is able to bind DNA in vitro, and this binding may be modulated by phosphorylation by F10L. A putative role of the E8R gene product throughout the VV life cycle is discussed.

The vaccinia virus I7L gene product is the core protein proteinase

Maturation of vaccinia virus (VV) core proteins is required for the production of infectious virions. The VV G1L and I7L gene products are the leading candidates for the viral core protein proteinase (vCPP). Using transient-expression assays, data were obtained to demonstrate that the I7L gene product and its encoded cysteine proteinase activity are responsible for vCPP activity.

The major core protein P4a (A10L gene) of vaccinia virus is essential for correct assembly of viral DNA into the nucleoprotein complex to form immature viral particles

The vaccinia virus (VV) A10L gene codes for a major core protein, P4a. This polypeptide is synthesized at late times during viral infection and is proteolytically cleaved during virion assembly. To investigate the role of P4a in the virus life cycle and morphogenesis, we have generated an inducer-dependent conditional mutant (VVindA10L) in which expression of the A10L gene is under the control of the Escherichia coli lacI operator/repressor system. Repression of the A10L gene severely impairs virus growth, as observed by both the inability of the virus to form plaques and the 2-log reduction of viral yields. This defect can be partially overcome by addition of the inducer isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Synthesis of viral proteins other than P4a occurred, although early shutoff of host protein synthesis and expression of viral late polypeptides are clearly delayed, both in the absence and in the presence of IPTG, compared with cells infected with the parental virus. Viral DNA replication and concatemer resolution appeared to proceed normally in the absence of the A10L gene product. In cells infected with VVindA10L in the absence of the inducer virion assembly is blocked, as defined by electron microscopy. Numerous spherical immature viral particles that appear devoid of dense viroplasmic material together with highly electron-dense regular structures are abundant in VVindA10L-infected cells. These regularly spaced structures can be specifically labeled with anti-DNA antibodies as well as with a DNase-gold conjugate, indicating that they contain DNA. Some images suggest that these DNA structures enter into spherical immature viral particles. In this regard, although it has not been firmly established, it has been suggested that DNA uptake occurs after formation of spherical immature particles. Overall, our results showed that P4a and/or its cleaved products are essential for the correct assembly of the nucleoprotein complex within immature viral particles.

The vaccinia virus A9L gene encodes a membrane protein required for an early step in virion morphogenesis

The A9L open reading frame of vaccinia virus was predicted to encode a membrane-associated protein. A transcriptional analysis of the A9L gene indicated that it was expressed at late times in vaccinia virus-infected cells. Late expression, as well as virion membrane association, was demonstrated by the construction and use of a recombinant vaccinia virus encoding an A9L protein with a C-terminal epitope tag. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the A9L protein was associated with both immature and mature virus particles and was oriented in the membrane with its C terminus exposed on the virion surface. To determine whether the A9L protein functions in viral assembly or infectivity, we made a conditional-lethal inducible recombinant vaccinia virus. In the absence of inducer, A9L expression and virus replication were undetectable. Under nonpermissive conditions, viral late protein synthesis occurred, but maturational proteolytic processing was inhibited, and there was an accumulation of membrane-coated electron-dense bodies, crescents, and immature virus particles, many of which appeared abnormal. We concluded that the product of the A9L gene is a viral membrane-associated protein and functions at an early stage in virion morphogenesis.

Characterization of vaccinia virus intracellular cores: implications for viral uncoating and core structure

The entry of vaccinia virus (VV) into the host cell results in the delivery of the double-stranded DNA genome-containing core into the cytoplasm. The core is disassembled, releasing the viral DNA in order to initiate VV cytoplasmic transcription and DNA replication. Core disassembly can be prevented using the VV early transcription inhibitor actinomycin D (actD), since early VV protein synthesis is required for core uncoating. In this study, VV intracellular cores were accumulated in the presence of actD and isolated from infected cells. The content of these cores was analyzed by negative staining EM and by Western blotting using a collection of antibodies to VV core and membrane proteins. By Western blot analyses, intracellular actD cores, as well as cores prepared by NP-40-dithiothreitol treatment of purified virions (NP-40/DTT cores), contained the core proteins p25 (encoded by L4R), 4a (A10L), 4b (A3L), and p39 (A4L) as well as small amounts of the VV membrane proteins p32 (D8L) and p35 (H3L). While NP-40/DTT cores contained the major putative DNA-binding protein p11 (F17R), actD cores entirely lacked this protein. Labeled cryosections of cells infected for different periods of time in the presence or absence of actD were subsequently used to follow the fate of VV core proteins by EM. These EM images confirmed that p11 was lost at the plasma membrane upon core penetration. The cores that accumulated in the presence of actD were labeled with antibodies to 4a, p39, p25, and DNA at all times examined. In the absence of the drug the cores gradually lost their electron-dense inner part, concomitant with the loss of p25 and DNA labeling. The remaining core shell still labeled with antibodies to p39 and 4a/4b, implying that these proteins are part of this structure. These combined data are discussed with respect to the structure of VV as well as core disassembly.

Vaccinia virus envelope H3L protein binds to cell surface heparan sulfate and is important for intracellular mature virion morphogenesis and virus infection in vitro and in vivo

An immunodominant antigen, p35, is expressed on the envelope of intracellular mature virions (IMV) of vaccinia virus. p35 is encoded by the viral late gene H3L, but its role in the virus life cycle is not known. This report demonstrates that soluble H3L protein binds to heparan sulfate on the cell surface and competes with the binding of vaccinia virus, indicating a role for H3L protein in IMV adsorption to mammalian cells. A mutant virus defective in expression of H3L (H3L(-)) was constructed; the mutant virus has a small plaque phenotype and 10-fold lower IMV and extracellular enveloped virion titers than the wild-type virus. Virion morphogenesis is severely blocked and intermediate viral structures such as viral factories and crescents accumulate in cells infected with the H3L(-) mutant virus. IMV from the H3L(-) mutant virus are somewhat altered and less infectious than wild-type virions. However, cells infected by the mutant virus form multinucleated syncytia after low pH treatment, suggesting that H3L protein is not required for cell fusion. Mice inoculated intranasally with wild-type virus show high mortality and severe weight loss, whereas mice infected with H3L(-) mutant virus survive and recover faster, indicating that inactivation of the H3L gene attenuates virus virulence in vivo. In summary, these data indicate that H3L protein mediates vaccinia virus adsorption to cell surface heparan sulfate and is important for vaccinia virus infection in vitro and in vivo. In addition, H3L protein plays a role in virion assembly.

Virions of Heliothis armigera entomopoxvirus contain a homologue of the vaccinia VP8 major core protein

An antigenic 30 K virion protein of Heliothis armigera entomopoxvirus (HaEPV) has been identified as a homologue of the chordopoxvirus (ChPV) VP8 major virion core protein. Like its homologue in vaccinia virus, the mature HaEPV 30 K protein is derived by post-translational cleavage of a precursor at a conserved AGA motif. The HaEPV 30 K protein is the first EPV structural virion protein to be described, and elucidation of its characteristics provides evidence for the assumption that morphological similarities observed between virions of the sub-families Entomopoxvirinae and Chordopoxvirinae by microscopy reflect corresponding similarities at a molecular level. Sequencing of the HaEPV genome adjacent to the 30K locus identified an ORF encoding a homologue of the regulatory sub-unit of the ChPV poly(A) polymerase enzyme; the conceptual product of this ORF showed 25-31% aa sequence identity to those of various ChPVs. The presence of this gene in the HaEPV genome supports the hypothesis that there is a substantial correspondence in basic metabolic processes of members of the two poxvirus sub-families, despite their utilization of divergent host groups. In contrast, the relative positions of the 30 K and poly(A) polymerase loci in the HaEPV genome provide further evidence of substantial genomic re-arrangement subsequent to divergence of these viral taxa.

Vaccinia virus WR gene A5L is required for morphogenesis of mature virions

The vaccinia virus WR A5L open reading frame (corresponding to open reading frame A4L in vaccinia virus Copenhagen) encodes an immunodominant late protein found in the core of the vaccinia virion. To investigate the role of this protein in vaccinia virus replication, we have constructed a recombinant virus, vA5Li, in which the endogenous gene has been deleted and an inducible copy of the A5 gene dependent on isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) for expression has been inserted into the genome. In the absence of inducer, the yield of infectious virus was dramatically reduced. However, DNA synthesis and processing, viral protein expression (except for A5), and early stages in virion formation were indistinguishable from the analogous steps in a normal infection. Electron microscopy revealed that the major vaccinia virus structural form present in cells infected with vA5Li in the absence of inducer was immature virions. Viral particles were purified from vA5Li-infected cells in the presence and absence of inducer. Both particles contained viral DNA and the full complement of viral proteins, except for A5, which was missing from particles prepared in the absence of inducer. The particles prepared in the presence of IPTG were more infectious than those prepared in its absence. The A5 protein appears to be required for the immature virion to form the brick-shaped intracellular mature virion.

Regulation of vaccinia virus morphogenesis: phosphorylation of the A14L and A17L membrane proteins and C-terminal truncation of the A17L protein are dependent on the F10L kinase

This study focused on three vaccinia virus-encoded proteins that participate in early steps of virion morphogenesis: the A17L and A14L membrane proteins and the F10L protein kinase. We found that (i) the A17L protein was cleaved at or near an AGX consensus motif at amino acid 185, thereby removing its acidic C terminus; (ii) the nontruncated form was associated with immature virions, but only the C-terminal truncated protein was present in mature virions; (iii) the nontruncated form of the A17L protein was phosphorylated on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues, whereas the truncated form was unphosphorylated; (iv) nontruncated and truncated forms of the A17L protein existed in a complex with the A14L membrane protein; (v) C-terminal cleavage of the A17L protein and phosphorylation of the A17L and A14L proteins failed to occur in cells infected with a F10L kinase mutant at the nonpermissive temperature; and (vi) the F10L kinase was the only viral late protein that was necessary for phosphorylation of the A17L protein, whereas additional proteins were needed for C-terminal cleavage. We suggest that phosphorylation of the A17L and A14L proteins is mediated by the F10L kinase and is required to form the membranes associated with immature virions. Removal of phosphates and the A17L acidic C-terminal peptide occur during the transition to mature virions.

An unconventional role for cytoplasmic disulfide bonds in vaccinia virus proteins

Previous data have shown that reducing agents disrupt the structure of vaccinia virus (vv). Here, we have analyzed the disulfide bonding of vv proteins in detail. In vv-infected cells cytoplasmically synthesized vv core proteins became disulfide bonded in the newly assembled intracellular mature viruses (IMVs). vv membrane proteins also assembled disulfide bonds, but independent of IMV formation and to a large extent on their cytoplasmic domains. If disulfide bonding was prevented, virus assembly was only partially impaired as shown by electron microscopy as well as a biochemical assay of IMV formation. Under these conditions, however, the membranes around the isolated particles appeared less stable and detached from the underlying core. During the viral infection process the membrane proteins remained disulfide bonded, whereas the core proteins were reduced, concomitant with delivery of the cores into the cytoplasm. Our data show that vv has evolved an unique system for the assembly of cytoplasmic disulfide bonds that are localized both on the exterior and interior parts of the IMV.

The genome of Melanoplus sanguinipes entomopoxvirus

The family Poxviridae contains two subfamilies: the Entomopoxvirinae (poxviruses of insects) and the Chordopoxvirinae (poxviruses of vertebrates). Here we present the first characterization of the genome of an entomopoxvirus (EPV) which infects the North American migratory grasshopper Melanoplus sanguinipes and other important orthopteran pests. The 236-kbp M. sanguinipes EPV (MsEPV) genome consists of a central coding region bounded by 7-kbp inverted terminal repeats and contains 267 open reading frames (ORFs), of which 107 exhibit similarity to previously described genes. The presence of genes not previously described in poxviruses, and in some cases in any other known virus, suggests significant viral adaptation to the arthropod host and the external environment. Genes predicting interactions with host cellular mechanisms include homologues of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein, stress response protein phosphatase 2C, extracellular matrixin metalloproteases, ubiquitin, calcium binding EF-hand protein, glycosyltransferase, and a triacylglyceride lipase. MsEPV genes with putative functions in prevention and repair of DNA damage include a complete base excision repair pathway (uracil DNA glycosylase, AP endonuclease, DNA polymerase beta, and an NAD+-dependent DNA ligase), a photoreactivation repair pathway (cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer photolyase), a LINE-type reverse transcriptase, and a mutT homologue. The presence of these specific repair pathways may represent viral adaptation for repair of environmentally induced DNA damage. The absence of previously described poxvirus enzymes involved in nucleotide metabolism and the presence of a novel thymidylate synthase homologue suggest that MsEPV is heavily reliant on host cell nucleotide pools and the de novo nucleotide biosynthesis pathway. MsEPV and lepidopteran genus B EPVs lack genome colinearity and exhibit a low level of amino acid identity among homologous genes (20 to 59%), perhaps reflecting a significant evolutionary distance between lepidopteran and orthopteran viruses. Divergence between MsEPV and the Chordopoxvirinae is indicated by the presence of only 49 identifiable chordopoxvirus homologues, low-level amino acid identity among these genes (20 to 48%), and the presence in MsEPV of 43 novel ORFs in five gene families. Genes common to both poxvirus subfamilies, which include those encoding enzymes involved in RNA transcription and modification, DNA replication, protein processing, virion assembly, and virion structural proteins, define the genetic core of the Poxviridae.

Novobiocin inhibits vaccinia virus replication by blocking virus assembly

Novobiocin inhibits the replication of vaccinia virus in cultured BSC40 cells. All classes of viral proteins were synthesized during synchronous infection in the presence of drug. The onset of DNA replication was delayed slightly, yet the extent of DNA replication in the presence of novobiocin was comparable to that of a control infection. A delay in the temporal transition to late viral protein synthesis was in keeping with the effects on DNA replication. Although the precursor forms of the major viral structural proteins were synthesized normally at late times, the proteolytic processing of these polypeptides was inhibited, which suggested an impediment to virus assembly. Electron microscopy revealed that novobiocin blocked virus morphogenesis at an early stage. Conversion of the concatemeric DNA replication intermediates into hairpin telomeres occurred in the presence of novobiocin, confirming that telomere resolution was not coupled to virus assembly. Novobiocin is the latest addition to a class of antipoxviral agents, which includes rifampin and IMCBH, that arrest morphogenesis.

Identification of the major membrane and core proteins of vaccinia virus by two-dimensional electrophoresis

Vaccinia virus assembly has been well studied at the ultrastructural level, but little is known about the molecular events that occur during that process. Towards this goal, we have identified the major membrane and core proteins of the intracellular mature virus (IMV). Pure IMV preparations were subjected to Nonidet P-40 (NP-40) and dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment to separate the core proteins from the membrane proteins. These proteins were subsequently separated by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, and the major polypeptide spots, as detected by silver staining and 35S labeling, were identified by either matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, N-terminal amino acid sequencing, or immunoprecipitation with defined antibodies. Sixteen major spots that partitioned into the NP-40-DTT-soluble fraction were identified; 11 of these were previously described virally encoded proteins and 5 were cellular proteins, mostly of mitochondrial origin. The core fraction revealed four major spots of previously described core proteins, two of which were also detected in the membrane fraction. Subsequently, the NP-40-DTT-soluble and -insoluble fractions from purified virus preparations, separated by 2D gels, were compared with postnuclear supernatants of infected cells that had been metabolically labeled at late times (6 to 8 h) postinfection. This relatively short labeling period as well as the apparent shutoff of host protein synthesis allowed the selective detection in such postnuclear supernatants of virus-encoded proteins. These postnuclear supernatants were subsequently treated with Triton X-114 or with sodium carbonate to distinguish the membrane proteins from the soluble proteins. We have identified the major late membrane and nonmembrane proteins of the IMV as they occur in the virus as well as in infected cells. This 2D gel map should provide an important reference for future molecular studies of vaccinia virus morphogenesis.

A vaccinia virus core protein, p39, is membrane associated

We describe herein the characterization of p39, the product of the A4L gene of vaccinia virus. By immunolabelling of thawed cryosections from infected HeLa cells, we show that this protein is initially located in the central region, or viroplasm, of the viral factories, as well as in the immature virions, with very small amounts of labelling observed on the surrounding membranes. The localization of p39 changes dramatically during the transition of the immature virion to the intracellular mature virus (IMV), coincident with the appearance of the core structure in the center of the IMV, with p39 located between this core and the surrounding membranes. Complementary biochemical data, such as partitioning into the Triton X-114 detergent phase and stripping of the viral membranes with Nonidet P-40 and dithiothreitol, suggest that p39 is associated with the innermost of the two membranes surrounding the core. Sodium carbonate treatment also indicates that p39 is associated with membranes, even at the early stages of viral assembly. However, following in vitro translation of p39 in the presence of microsomal membranes, we failed to detect any association of the independently expressed protein with membranes. We also failed to detect any posttranslational acylation of p39 with myristate or palmitate, suggesting that p39 does not achieve its membrane association through lipid anchors. Therefore, p39 is most likely membrane associated through an interaction with an integral membrane protein(s) present in the innermost of the two membranes surrounding the IMV. These data, together with our recent data showing that p39 colocalizes with the spike-like protrusions on the IMV core (N. Roos, M. Cyrklaff, S. Cudmore, R. Blasco, J. Krijnse-Locker, and G. Griffiths, EMBO J. 15:2343-2355, 1996), suggest that p39 may form part of this spike and that it possibly functions as a matrix-like linker protein between the core and the innermost of the two membranes surrounding the IMV.

Vaccinia virus A17L open reading frame encodes an essential component of nascent viral membranes that is required to initiate morphogenesis

We generated an antiserum to the predicted C-terminal peptide of the A17L open reading frame (ORF), which encodes a 23-kDa polypeptide with hydrophobic regions characteristic of membrane proteins. Immuno-electron microscopy of infected cells indicated that the A17L protein is intimately associated with the earliest characteristic viral membranes, even those formed in the presence of the drug rifampin. To study the role of the A17L protein in morphogenesis, we constructed recombinant vaccinia viruses in which the endogenous A17L ORF was deleted and a copy of the ORF under the control of the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase and the Escherichia coli lac repressor was inserted into an alternative site in the vaccinia virus genome. Growth of these recombinant viruses was entirely dependent on the induction of A17L expression by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside. Electron microscopic examination of cells infected in the absence of inducer revealed the accumulation of large, well-demarcated electron-dense aggregates but no characteristic membrane-associated viral structures. Viral late protein synthesis occurred under these conditions, although the maturational proteolytic processing of structural proteins was inhibited. We conclude that the product of the A17L gene is an essential component of the immature viral membrane and has an early function in viral morphogenesis.

Characterization of ts 16, a temperature-sensitive mutant of vaccinia virus

We have characterized a temperature-sensitive mutant of vaccinia virus, ts16, originally isolated by Condit et al. (Virology 128:429-443, 1983), at the permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. In a previous study by Kane and Shuman (J. Virol 67:2689-2698, 1993), the mutation of ts16 was mapped to the I7 gene, encoding a 47-kDa protein that shows partial homology to the type II topoisomerase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The present study extends previous electron microscopy analysis, showing that in BSC40 cells infected with ts16 at the restrictive temperature (40 degrees C), the assembly was arrested at a stage between the spherical immature virus and the intracellular mature virus (IMV). In thawed cryosections, a number of the major proteins normally found in the IMV were subsequently localized to these mutant particles. By using sucrose density gradients, the ts16 particles were purified from cells infected at the permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. These were analyzed by immunogold labelling and negative-staining electron microscopy, and their protein composition was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. While the ts16 virus particles made at the permissive temperature appeared to have a protein pattern identical to that of wild-type IMV, in the mutant particles the three core proteins, p4a, p4b, and 28K, were not proteolytically processed. Consistent with previous data the sucrose-purified particles could be labelled with [3H]thymidine. In addition, anti-DNA labelling on thawed cryosections suggested that most of the mutant particles had taken up DNA. On thawed cryosections of cells infected at the permissive temperature, antibodies to I7 labelled the virus factories, the immature viruses, and the IMVs, while under restrictive conditions these structures were labelled much less, if at all. Surprisingly, however, by Western blotting (immunoblotting) the I7 protein was present in similar amounts in the defective particles and in the IMVs isolated at the permissive temperature. Finally, our data suggest that at the nonpermissive temperature the assembly of ts16 is irreversibly arrested in a stage at which the DNA is in the process of entering but before the particle has completely sealed, as monitored by protease experiments.

Vaccinia virus morphogenesis is blocked by temperature-sensitive mutations in the F10 gene, which encodes protein kinase 2

Four previously isolated temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of vaccinia virus WR (ts28, ts54, ts61, and ts15) composing a single complementation group have been mapped by marker rescue to the F10 open reading frame located within the genomic HindIII F DNA fragment. Sequencing of the F10 gene from wild-type and mutant viruses revealed single-amino-acid substitutions in the F10 polypeptide responsible for thermolabile growth. Although the ts mutants displayed normal patterns of viral protein synthesis, electron microscopy revealed a profound morphogenetic defect at the nonpermissive temperature (40 degrees C). Virion assembly was arrested at an early stage, with scant formation of membrane crescents and no progression to normal spherical immature particles. The F10 gene encodes a 52-kDa serine/threonine protein kinase (S. Lin and S. S. Broyles, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:7653-7657, 1994). We expressed a His-tagged version of the wild-type, ts54, and ts61 F10 polypeptides in bacteria and purified these proteins by sequential nickel affinity and phosphocellulose chromatography steps. The wild-type F10 protein kinase activity was characterized in detail by using casein as a phosphate acceptor. Whereas the wild-type and ts61 kinases displayed similar thermal inactivation profiles, the ts54 kinase was thermosensitive in vitro. These findings suggest that protein phosphorylation plays an essential role at an early stage of virion assembly.

A transcriptionally controlled trans-processing assay: putative identification of a vaccinia virus-encoded proteinase which cleaves precursor protein P25K

Vaccinia virus maturation into infectious particles appears to be dependent on the proteolytic processing of at least five viral proteins, each containing a conserved AG*X cleavage motif and each requiring proper association with the previrion particle. To identify the responsible proteinase, a transcriptionally controlled trans-processing assay was developed to monitor cleavage at the permissive AG*S site of the P25K core protein precursor. This assay led to the putative identification of a VV proteinase encoded by open reading frame G1L. The predicted protein contains an HXXEH sequence which is a direct inversion of the active site consensus sequence present in thermolysin and other metalloendopeptidases. Site-directed mutation of this consensus sequence suggests that the G1L protein may be a novel, virus-encoded metalloendoproteinase, although confirmation of this activity must await the development of a suitable cell-free processing assay.

Assembly of vaccinia virus: effects of rifampin on the intracellular distribution of viral protein p65

The cytoplasmic assembly of vaccinia virus is reversibly blocked by the antibiotic rifampin, leading to the accumulation of partially membrane-delineated rifampin bodies in infected cells. Rifampin-resistant vaccinia virus mutants have point mutations in the D13L gene, which is controlled by a late promoter and expresses a 65-kDa protein, designated p65. To further characterize the mechanism of rifampin inhibition and the function of p65 in virus assembly, we raised antibodies to this protein. Immunoreactive p65 was expressed at late times of infection, and neither its expression nor its turnover was affected by rifampin. Virus-associated p65 could be extracted only with denaturing detergents from purified virions, suggesting that it is an integral viral component. Immunofluorescence studies showed that p65 is localized to the sites of virus assembly. Also, immunoelectron microscopy showed p65 to be associated with viral crescents as well as spherical, immature virions, in both cases predominantly on the inner or concave surface. In the presence of rifampin, p65 was found in large, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies that were distinct from rifampin bodies. The rifampin bodies themselves were labeled with p65 antibodies only after reversal of the rifampin block, predominantly on the viral crescents which rapidly formed following removal of the drug. We propose that p65 functions as an internal scaffold in the formation of viral crescents and immature virions, analogously to the matrix proteins of other viruses.

Isolation and analysis of vaccinia virus previrions

Vaccinia virus (VV) virion morphogenesis is a complex sequence of events that occurs late in viral infection that is essential for the production of mature progeny. Electron microscopy studies have identified multiple morphogenic forms of virus particles, apparently assembled in a sequence from immature to mature particles that correlates with distinct physical changes. This assembly process is, however, rather poorly understood at the molecular level. To better characterize the multiple forms of VV previrions, sucrose log gradient fractionation of VV-infected cells was used to separate radiolabeled immature and mature forms of the virus. Depending on time postinfection that the infected cells were harvested, four distinct peaks of acid-precipitable counts could be detected that displayed different rates of sedimentation. Using pulse-chase analysis procedures, the labeled peaks were shown to have precursor-product relationships as slower sedimenting entities chased to faster sedimenting ones with time. These peaks were referred to as A, B, C, and V particles, with A being the initial precursor form found near the top of the gradient and V being the fastest sedimenting product. As the previrions mature, they migrated faster in the gradient and became infectious and resistant to treatment with DNase I. The core protein composition of the A particles was predominantly uncleaved precursors, with only small amounts of the mature core proteins 4a, 4b, 25K, and 23K evident. However, as the sedimentation rate of the particles increased, proteolytic maturation proceeded such that C particles were composed almost exclusively of mature core proteins. Together these results indicate that several distinct and separable forms of VV previrions exist, that VV core protein precursors are associated with the previrions prior to cleavage, and that maturation of the core proteins is coordinately linked to the conversion from noninfectious previrions to infectious viral particles.

Expression of virus-encoded proteinases: functional and structural similarities with cellular enzymes

Many viruses express their genome, or part of their genome, initially as a polyprotein precursor that undergoes proteolytic processing. Molecular genetic analyses of viral gene expression have revealed that many of these processing events are mediated by virus-encoded proteinases. Biochemical activity studies and structural analyses of these viral enzymes reveal that they have remarkable similarities to cellular proteinases. However, the viral proteinases have evolved unique features that permit them to function in a cellular environment. In this article, the current status of plant and animal virus proteinases is described along with their role in the viral replication cycle. The reactions catalyzed by viral proteinases are not simple enzyme-substrate interactions; rather, the processing steps are highly regulated, are coordinated with other viral processes, and frequently involve the participation of other factors.

trans processing of vaccinia virus core proteins

The three major vaccinia virus (VV) virion proteins (4a, 4b, and 25K) are proteolytically matured from larger precursors (P4a, P4b, and P25K) during virus assembly. Within the precursors, Ala-Gly-X motifs have been noted at the putative processing sites, with cleavage apparently taking place between the Gly and X residues. To identify the sequence and/or structural parameters which are required to define an efficient cleavage site, a trans-processing assay system has been developed by tagging the carboxy terminus of the P25K polypeptide (precursor of 25K) with an octapeptide FLAG epitope, which can be specifically recognized by a monoclonal antibody. By using transient expression assays with cells coinfected with VV, the proteolytic processing of the chimeric gene product (P25K:FLAG) was monitored by immunoblotting procedures. The relationship between the P25K:FLAG precursor and the 25K:FLAG cleavage product was established by pulse-chase experiments. The in vivo cleavage of P25K:FLAG was inhibited by the drug rifampin, implying that the reaction was utilizing the same pathway as authentic VV core proteins. Moreover, the 25K:FLAG protein was found in association with mature virions in accord with the notion that cleavage occurs concomitantly with virion assembly. Site-directed mutagenesis of the Ala-Gly-Ala motif at residues 31 to 33 of the P25K:FLAG precursor to Ile-Asp-Ile blocked production of the 25K:FLAG product. The efficiency of 25K:FLAG production (33.71%) is, however, approximately only half of the production of 25K (63.98%) within VV-infected cells transfected with pL4R:FLAG. One explanation for the lower efficiency of 25K:FLAG production was suggested by the observation in the immunofluorescent-staining experiment that 25K:FLAG-related proteins were not specifically localized to the virus assembly factories (virosomes) within VV-infected cells, although virosome localization was prominent for P25K-related polypeptides. Since VV core protein proteolytic processing is believed to take place during virion maturation, only the P25K:FLAG which was assembled into immature virions could undergo proteolytic maturation. Furthermore during these experiments, a potential cleavage intermediate (25K') of P25K was identified. Amino acid residues 17 to 19 (Ala-Gly-Ser) of the P25K precursor were implicated as the intermediate cleavage site, since no 25K':FLAG product was produced from a mutant precursor in which the sequence was altered to Ile-Asp-Ile. Taken together, these results provide biochemical and genetic evidence to support the hypothesis that the Ala-Gly-X cleavage motif plays a critical role in VV virion protein proteolytic maturation.

The vaccinia virus 14-kilodalton fusion protein forms a stable complex with the processed protein encoded by the vaccinia virus A17L gene

The mechanism by which the 14-kDa fusion protein of vaccinia virus (VV) is anchored in the envelope of intracellular naked virions (INV) is not understood. In this investigation, we demonstrate that the 14-kDa protein interacts with another virus protein with an apparent molecular mass of 21 kDa. Microsequence analysis of the N terminus of the 21-kDa protein revealed that this protein is encoded by the VV A17L gene. The 21-kDa protein is processed from a 23-kDa precursor, by cleavage at amino acid position 16, at the consensus motif Ala-Gly-Ala, previously identified as a cleavage site for several VV structural proteins. The 21-kDa protein contains two large internal hydrophobic domains characteristic of membrane proteins. Pulse-chase analysis showed that within 1 h after synthesis, the 14-kDa protein forms a stable complex with the 21-kDa protein. Formation of the complex was not inhibited by rifampin, indicating that the interaction between these two proteins occurs prior to virion morphogenesis. Immunoprecipitation analysis of disrupted virions showed the presence of the 21-kDa protein in the viral particle. Release of the 14-kDa-21-kDa protein complex from INV required treatment with the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 and a reducing agent. The protein complex consisted of 14-kDa trimers and of 21-kDa dimers. Since the 14-kDa fusion protein lacks a signal sequence and a large hydrophobic domain characteristic of membrane proteins, our findings suggest that the 21-kDa protein serves to anchor the 14-kDa protein to the envelope of INV.

Characterization of the major capsid protein and cloning of its gene from algal virus PBCV-1

The major capsid protein (Vp54) from Chlorella virus PBCV-1 is a glycoprotein and the most abundant viral structural protein. The gene encoding Vp54 has been cloned and sequenced. Initially, a region of the gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primed with oligonucleotides derived from the N-terminal amino acid sequences of purified protein and cyanogen bromide cleavage fragments. The PCR product was used as a probe to map the location of the gene to PBCV-1 genomic Pstl restriction fragment P8. A 1314-bp open reading frame (ORF) was identified which contained the predicted coding regions from the derived amino acid sequences. The peptide encoded by this ORF had a predicted molecular weight of 48.2 kDa and contained six putative N-linked and 63 putative O-linked glycosylation sites. Primer extension analysis indicated that transcription started 14 bp 5' to the ATG. The gene for Vp54 was transcribed late in infection and this transcript was the most abundant viral RNA present in infected cells.