Identification and characterization of a novel herpes simplex virus glycoprotein, gK, involved in cell fusion

Knockout of signal peptide peptidase in the eye reduces HSV-1 replication and eye disease in ocularly infected mice

We previously reported that knocking out signal peptide peptidase (SPP), a glycoprotein K (gK) binding partner, in mouse peripheral sensory neurons reduced latency-reactivation in infected mice without affecting primary virus replication or eye disease. Since virus replication in the eye plays an essential role in eye disease, we generated a conditional knockout mouse lacking SPP expression in the eye by crossing Pax6 (paired box 6)-Cre mice that have intact Pax6 expression with SPPflox/flox mice. Significantly less SPP protein expression was detected in the eyes of Pax6-SPP-/- mice than in WT control mice. HSV-1 replication in the eyes of Pax6-SPP-/- mice was significantly lower than in WT control mice. Levels of gB, gK, and ICP0 transcripts in corneas, but not trigeminal ganglia (TG), of Pax6-SPP-/- infected mice were also significantly lower than in WT mice. Corneal scarring and angiogenesis were significantly lower in Pax6-SPP-/- mice than in WT control mice, while corneal sensitivity was significantly higher in Pax6-SPP-/- mice compared with WT control mice. During acute viral infection, absence of SPP in the eye did not affect CD4 expression but did affect CD8α and IFNγ expression in the eye. However, in the absence of SPP, latency-reactivation was similar in Pax6-SPP-/- and WT control groups. Overall, our results showed that deleting SPP expression in the eyes reduced primary virus replication in the eyes, reduced CD8α and IFNγ mRNA expression, reduced eye disease and reduced angiogenesis but did not alter corneal sensitivity or latency reactivation to HSV-1 infection. Thus, blocking gK binding to SPP in the eye may have therapeutic potential by reducing both virus replication in the eye and eye disease associated with virus replication.

Absence of signal peptide peptidase in peripheral sensory neurons affects latency-reactivation in HSV-1 ocularly infected mice

We previously reported that HSV-1 infectivity in vitro and in vivo requires HSV glycoprotein K (gK) binding to the ER signal peptide peptidase (SPP). Anterograde-retrograde transport via peripheral nerves between the site of infection (i.e., eye) and the site of latency (neurons) is a critical process to establish latency and subsequent viral reactivation. Given the essential role of neurons in HSV-1 latency-reactivation, we generated mice lacking SPP specifically in peripheral sensory neurons by crossing Advillin-Cre mice with SPP^fl/fl mice. Expression of SPP mRNA and protein were significantly lower in neurons of Avil-SPP^-/- mice than in control mice despite similar levels of HSV-1 replication in the eyes of Avil-SPP^-/- mice and control mice. Viral transcript levels in isolated neurons of infected mice on days 2 and 5 post infection were lower than in control mice. Significantly less LAT, gB, and PD-1 expression was seen during latency in isolated neurons and total trigeminal ganglia (TG) of Avil-SPP^-/- mice than in control mice. Finally, reduced latency and reduced T cell exhaustion in infected Avil-SPP^-/- mice correlated with slower and no reactivation. Overall, our results suggest that blocking SPP expression in peripheral sensory neurons does not affect primary virus replication or eye disease but does reduce latency-reactivation. Thus, blocking of gK binding to SPP may be a useful tool to reduce latency-reactivation.

HSV-1 gK and the ER protein SPP are both essential and highly conserved proteins. Their interaction is important for virus infectivity in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate the importance of gK binding to SPP in the peripheral nervous system, we generated SPP conditional knockout mice in peripheral nervous system using Advillin-Cre mice. The absence of SPP in peripheral nervous system significantly reduced latency-reactivation as well as T cell exhaustion.

Herpesvirus Nuclear Egress across the Outer Nuclear Membrane

Herpesvirus capsids are assembled in the nucleus and undergo a two-step process to cross the nuclear envelope. Capsids bud into the inner nuclear membrane (INM) aided by the nuclear egress complex (NEC) proteins UL31/34. At that stage of egress, enveloped virions are found for a short time in the perinuclear space. In the second step of nuclear egress, perinuclear enveloped virions (PEVs) fuse with the outer nuclear membrane (ONM) delivering capsids into the cytoplasm. Once in the cytoplasm, capsids undergo re-envelopment in the Golgi/trans-Golgi apparatus producing mature virions. This second step of nuclear egress is known as de-envelopment and is the focus of this review. Compared with herpesvirus envelopment at the INM, much less is known about de-envelopment. We propose a model in which de-envelopment involves two phases: (i) fusion of the PEV membrane with the ONM and (ii) expansion of the fusion pore leading to release of the viral capsid into the cytoplasm. The first phase of de-envelopment, membrane fusion, involves four herpes simplex virus (HSV) proteins: gB, gH/gL, gK and UL20. gB is the viral fusion protein and appears to act to perturb membranes and promote fusion. gH/gL may also have similar properties and appears to be able to act in de-envelopment without gB. gK and UL20 negatively regulate these fusion proteins. In the second phase of de-envelopment (pore expansion and capsid release), an alpha-herpesvirus protein kinase, US3, acts to phosphorylate NEC proteins, which normally produce membrane curvature during envelopment. Phosphorylation of NEC proteins reverses tight membrane curvature, causing expansion of the membrane fusion pore and promoting release of capsids into the cytoplasm.

Rational Design of Live-Attenuated Vaccines against Herpes Simplex Viruses

Diseases caused by human herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) affect millions of people worldwide and range from fatal encephalitis in neonates and herpes keratitis to orofacial and genital herpes, among other manifestations. The viruses can be shed efficiently by asymptomatic carriers, causing increased rates of infection. Viral transmission occurs through direct contact of mucosal surfaces followed by initial replication of the incoming virus in skin tissues. Subsequently, the viruses infect sensory neurons in the trigeminal and lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia, where they are primarily maintained in a transcriptionally repressed state termed "latency", which persists for the lifetime of the host. HSV DNA has also been detected in other sympathetic ganglia. Periodically, latent viruses can reactivate, causing ulcerative and often painful lesions primarily at the site of primary infection and proximal sites. In the United States, recurrent genital herpes alone accounts for more than a billion dollars in direct medical costs per year, while there are much higher costs associated with the socio-economic aspects of diseased patients, such as loss of productivity due to mental anguish. Currently, there are no effective FDA-approved vaccines for either prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of human herpes simplex infections, while several recent clinical trials have failed to achieve their endpoint goals. Historically, live-attenuated vaccines have successfully combated viral diseases, including polio, influenza, measles, and smallpox. Vaccines aimed to protect against the devastation of smallpox led to the most significant achievement in medical history: the eradication of human disease by vaccination. Recently, novel approaches toward developing safe and effective live-attenuated vaccines have demonstrated high efficacy in various preclinical models of herpetic disease. This next generation of live-attenuated vaccines has been tailored to minimize vaccine-associated side effects and promote effective and long-lasting immune responses. The ultimate goal is to prevent or reduce primary infections (prophylactic vaccines) or reduce the frequency and severity of disease associated with reactivation events (therapeutic vaccines). These vaccines' "rational" design is based on our current understanding of the immunopathogenesis of herpesviral infections that guide the development of vaccines that generate robust and protective immune responses. This review covers recent advances in the development of herpes simplex vaccines and the current state of ongoing clinical trials in pursuit of an effective vaccine against herpes simplex virus infections and associated diseases.

"Non-Essential" Proteins of HSV-1 with Essential Roles In Vivo: A Comprehensive Review

Viruses encode for structural proteins that participate in virion formation and include capsid and envelope proteins. In addition, viruses encode for an array of non-structural accessory proteins important for replication, spread, and immune evasion in the host and are often linked to virus pathogenesis. Most virus accessory proteins are non-essential for growth in cell culture because of the simplicity of the infection barriers or because they have roles only during a state of the infection that does not exist in cell cultures (i.e., tissue-specific functions), or finally because host factors in cell culture can complement their absence. For these reasons, the study of most nonessential viral factors is more complex and requires development of suitable cell culture systems and in vivo models. Approximately half of the proteins encoded by the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) genome have been classified as non-essential. These proteins have essential roles in vivo in counteracting antiviral responses, facilitating the spread of the virus from the sites of initial infection to the peripheral nervous system, where it establishes lifelong reservoirs, virus pathogenesis, and other regulatory roles during infection. Understanding the functions of the non-essential proteins of herpesviruses is important to understand mechanisms of viral pathogenesis but also to harness properties of these viruses for therapeutic purposes. Here, we have provided a comprehensive summary of the functions of HSV-1 non-essential proteins.

Absence of Signal Peptide Peptidase, an Essential Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein K Binding Partner, Reduces Virus Infectivity In Vivo

We previously reported that herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoprotein K (gK) binds to signal peptide peptidase (SPP), also known as minor histocompatibility antigen H13. Binding of gK to SPP is required for HSV-1 infectivity in vitro SPP is a member of the γ-secretase family, and mice lacking SPP are embryonic lethal. To determine how SPP affects HSV-1 infectivity in vivo, the SPP gene was deleted using a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase driven by the ubiquitously expressed ROSA26 promoter. SPP mRNA was reduced by more than 93% in the cornea and trigeminal ganglia (TG) and by 99% in the liver of tamoxifen-injected mice, while SPP protein expression was reduced by 90% compared to the level in control mice. Mice lacking SPP had significantly less HSV-1 replication in the eye as well as reduced gK, UL20, ICP0, and gB transcripts in the cornea and TG compared to levels in control mice. In addition, reduced infiltration of CD45⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, F4/80⁺, CD11c⁺, and NK1.1⁺ T cells was observed in the cornea and TG of SPP-inducible knockout mice compared to that in control mice. Finally, in the absence of SPP, latency was significantly reduced in SPP-inducible knockout mice compared to that in control mice. Thus, in this study we have generated SPP-inducible knockout mice and shown that the absence of SPP affects virus replication in the eye of ocularly infected mice and that this reduction is correlated with the interaction of gK and SPP. These results suggest that blocking this interaction may have therapeutic potential in treating HSV-1-associated eye disease.IMPORTANCE Glycoprotein K (gK) is an essential and highly conserved HSV-1 protein. Previously, we reported that gK binds to SPP, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein, and blocking this binding reduces virus infectivity in vitro and also affects gK and UL20 subcellular localization. To evaluate the function of gK binding to SPP in vivo, we generated SPP-inducible knockout mice and observed the following in the absence of SPP: (i) that significantly less HSV-1 replication was seen in ocularly infected mice than in control mice; (ii) that expression of various HSV-1 genes and cellular infiltrates in the eye and trigeminal ganglia of infected mice was less than that in control mice; and (iii) that latency was significantly reduced in infected mice. Thus, blocking of gK binding to SPP may be a useful tool to control HSV-1-induced eye disease in patients with herpes stromal keratitis (HSK).

Current and Emerging Therapies for Ocular Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Infections

Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic, double-stranded DNA virus that can cause a wide variety of diseases, including many ocular pathologies. It is one of the leading causes of infectious blindness in the United States. Because of its ubiquitous nature and its potential to cause serious ocular maladies, there is a significant need for more effective antiviral therapies against ocular HSV-1. In this review, we discuss the lifecycle of HSV-1 as it pertains to corneal infections and the clinically approved as well as emerging treatments to combat HSV-1 infections. We also highlight some newly identified host targets for the antiviral drug development.

The herpes simplex virus 1 Us3 kinase is involved in assembly of membranes needed for viral envelopment and in distribution of glycoprotein K

Background: Capsids of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) are assembled in cell nuclei, released into the perinuclear space by budding at the inner nuclear membrane acquiring tegument and envelope. Alternatively, capsids gain access to the cytoplasm via dilated nuclear pores. They are enveloped by Golgi membranes. Us3 is a non-essential viral kinase that is involved in nucleus-to-cytoplasm translocation, preventing apoptosis and regulation of phospholipid-biosynthesis. Us3-deletion mutants (HSV-1∆Us3) accumulate in the perinuclear space. Nuclear and Golgi membranes proliferate, and homogeneous, proteinaceous structures of unknown identity are deposited in nuclei and cytoplasm. Glycoprotein K (gK), a highly hydrophobic viral protein, is essential for production of infectious progeny virus but, according to the literature, exclusively vital for envelopment of capsids by Golgi membranes. In the absence of Us3, virions remain stuck in the perinuclear space but mature to infectivity without reaching Golgi membranes, suggesting further function of gK than assumed. Methods: We constructed a HSV-1∆Us3 mutant designated CK177∆Us3gK-HA, in which gK was hemagglutinin (HA) epitope-tagged in order to localize gK by immunolabeling using antibodies against HA for light and electron microscopy. Results: CK177∆Us3gK-HA-infected Vero cells showed similar alterations as those reported for other HSV-1∆Us3, including accumulation of virions in the perinuclear space, overproduction of nuclear and Golgi membranes containing electron dense material with staining property of proteins. Immunolabeling using antibodies against HA revealed that gK is overproduced and localized at nuclear membranes, perinuclear virions stuck in the perinuclear space, Golgi membranes and on protein deposits in cytoplasm and nuclei. Conclusions: Us3 is involved in proper assembly of membranes needed for envelopment and incorporation of gK. Without Us3, virions derived by budding at nuclear membranes remain stuck in the perinuclear space but incorporate gK into their envelope to gain infectivity.

Role of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) Glycoprotein K (gK) Pathogenic CD8+ T Cells in Exacerbation of Eye Disease

HSV-1-induced corneal scarring (CS), also broadly referred to as Herpes Stromal Keratitis (HSK), is the leading cause of infectious blindness in developed countries. It is well-established that HSK is in fact an immunopathological disease. The contribution of the potentially harmful T cell effectors that lead to CS remains an area of intense study. Although the HSV-1 gene(s) involved in eye disease is not yet known, we have demonstrated that gK, which is one of the 12 known HSV-1 glycoproteins, has a crucial role in CS. Immunization of HSV-1 infected mice with gK, but not with any other known HSV-1 glycoprotein, significantly exacerbates CS, and dermatitis. The gK-induced eye disease occurs independently of the strain of the virus or mouse. HSV-1 mutants that lack gK are unable to efficiently infect and establish latency in neurons. HSV-1 recombinant viruses expressing two additional copies of the gK (total of three gK genes) exacerbated CS as compared with wild type HSV-1 strain McKrae that contains one copy of gK. Furthermore, we have shown that an 8mer (ITAYGLVL) within the signal sequence of gK enhanced CS in ocularly infected BALB/c mice, C57BL/6 mice, and NZW rabbits. In HSV-infected “humanized” HLA-A^*0201 transgenic mice, this gK 8mer induced strong IFN-γ-producing cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cell responses. gK induced CS is dependent on gK binding to signal peptide peptidase (SPP). gK also binds to HSV-1 UL20, while UL20 binds GODZ (DHHC3) and these quadruple interactions are required for gK induced pathology. Thus, potential therapies might include blocking of gK-SPP, gK-UL20, UL20-GODZ interactions, or a combination of these strategies.

Glycoprotein D of HSV-1 is dependent on tegument protein UL16 for packaging and contains a motif that is differentially required for syncytia formation

Glycoprotein D (gD) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) plays a key role in multiple events during infection including virus entry, cell-to-cell spread, and virus-induced syncytia formation. Here, we provide evidence that an arginine/lysine cluster located at the transmembrane-cytoplasm interface of gD critically contributes to viral spread and cell-cell fusion. Our studies began with the discovery that packaging of gD into virions is almost completely blocked in the absence of tegument protein UL16. We subsequently identified a novel, direct, and regulated interaction between UL16 and gD, but this was not important for syncytia formation. However, a mutational analysis of the membrane-proximal basic residues of gD revealed that they are needed for the gBsyn phenotype, salubrinal-induced fusion of HSV-infected cells, and cell-to-cell spread. Finally, we found that these same gD tail basic residues are not required for cell fusion induced by a gKsyn variant.

First Impressions-the Potential of Altering Initial Host-Virus Interactions for Rational Design of Herpesvirus Vaccine Vectors

Purpose

The earliest host-virus interactions occur during virus attachment and entry into cells. These initial steps in the virus lifecycle influence the outcome of infection beyond delivery of the viral genome into the cell. Herpesviruses alter host signaling pathways and processes during attachment and entry to facilitate virus infection and modulate innate immune responses. We suggest in this review that understanding these early signaling events may inform the rational design of therapeutic and prevention strategies for herpesvirus infection, as well as the engineering of viral vectors for immunotherapy purposes.

Recent Findings

Recent reports demonstrate that modulation of Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1) entry results in unexpected enhancement of antiviral immune responses.

Summary

A variety of evidence suggests that herpesviruses promote specific cellular signaling responses that facilitate viral replication after binding to cell surfaces, as well as during virus entry. Of particular interest is the ability of the virus to alter innate immune responses through these cellular signaling events. Uncovering the underlying immune evasion strategies may lead to the design of live-attenuated vaccines that can generate robust and protective anti-viral immune responses against herpesviruses. These adjuvant properties may be extended to a variety of heterologous antigens expressed by herpesviral vectors.

Extended Synaptotagmin 1 Interacts with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein M and Negatively Modulates Virus-Induced Membrane Fusion

Enveloped viruses typically encode their own fusion machinery to enter cells. Herpesviruses are unusual, as they fuse with a number of cellular compartments throughout their life cycles. As uncontrolled fusion of the host membranes should be avoided in these events, tight regulation of the viral fusion machinery is critical. While studying herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein gM, we identified the cellular protein E-Syt1 (extended synaptotagmin 1) as an interaction partner. The interaction took place in both infected and transfected cells, suggesting other viral proteins were not required for the interaction. Most interestingly, E-Syt1 is a member of the synaptotagmin family of membrane fusion regulators. However, the protein is known to promote the tethering of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane. We now show that E-Syt1, along with the related E-Syt3, negatively modulates viral release into the extracellular milieu, cell-to-cell viral spread, and viral entry, all processes that implicate membrane fusion events. Similarly, these E-Syt proteins impacted the formation of virus-induced syncytia. Altogether, these findings hint at the modulation of the viral fusion machinery by the E-Syt family of proteins.IMPORTANCE Viruses typically encode their own fusion apparatus to enable them to enter cells. For many viruses, this means a single fusogenic protein. However, herpesviruses are large entities that express several accessory viral proteins to regulate their fusogenic activity. The present study hints at the additional participation of cellular proteins in this process, suggesting the host can also modulate viral fusion to some extent. Hence E-Syt proteins 1 and 3 seem to negatively modulate the different viral fusion events that take place during the HSV-1 life cycle. This could represent yet another innate immunity response to the virus.

Cysteines and N-Glycosylation Sites Conserved among All Alphaherpesviruses Regulate Membrane Fusion in Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection

Neurotropism is a defining characteristic of alphaherpesvirus pathogenicity. Glycoprotein K (gK) is a conserved virion glycoprotein of all alphaherpesviruses that is not found in other herpesvirus subfamilies. The extracellular amino terminus of gK has been shown to be important to the ability of the prototypic alphaherpesvirus herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) to enter neurons via axonal termini. Here, we determined the role of the two conserved N-linked glycosylation (N48 and N58) sites of gK in virus-induced cell fusion and replication. We found that N-linked glycosylation is important to the regulation of HSV-1-induced membrane fusion since mutating N58 to alanine (N58A) caused extensive virus-induced cell fusion. Due to the known contributions of N-linked glycosylation to protein processing and correct disulfide bond formation, we investigated whether the conserved extracellular cysteine residues within the amino terminus of gK contributed to the regulation of HSV-1-induced membrane fusion. We found that mutation of C37 and C114 residues led to a gK-null phenotype characterized by very small plaque formation and drastic reduction in infectious virus production, while mutation of C82 and C243 caused extensive virus-induced cell fusion. Comparison of N-linked glycosylation and cysteine mutant replication kinetics identified disparate effects on infectious virion egress from infected cells. Specifically, cysteine mutations caused defects in the accumulation of infectious virus in both the cellular and supernatant fractions, while glycosylation site mutants did not adversely affect virion egress from infected cells. These results demonstrate a critical role for the N glycosylation sites and cysteines for the structure and function of the amino terminus of gK.IMPORTANCE We have previously identified important entry and neurotropic determinants in the amino terminus of HSV-1 glycoprotein K (gK). Alphaherpesvirus-mediated membrane fusion is a complex and highly regulated process that is not clearly understood. gK and UL20, which are highly conserved across all alphaherpesviruses, play important roles in the regulation of HSV-1 fusion in the context of infection. A greater understanding of mechanisms governing alphaherpesvirus membrane fusion is expected to inform the rational design of therapeutic and prevention strategies to combat herpesviral infection and pathogenesis. This work adds to the growing reports regarding the importance of gK to alphaherpesvirus pathogenesis and details important structural features of gK that are involved in gK-mediated regulation of virus-induced membrane fusion.

The UL21 Tegument Protein of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Is Differentially Required for the Syncytial Phenotype

The initial goal of this study was to reexamine the requirement of UL21 for herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) replication. Previous studies suggested that UL21 is dispensable for replication in cell cultures, but a recent report on HSV-2 challenges those findings. As was done for the HSV-2 study, a UL21-null virus was made and propagated on complementing cells to discourage selection of compensating mutations. This HSV-1 mutant was able to replicate in noncomplementing cells, even at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI), though a reduction in titer was observed. Also, increased proportions of empty capsids were observed in the cytoplasm, suggesting a role for UL21 in preventing their exit from the nucleus. Surprisingly, passage of the null mutant resulted in rapid outgrowth of syncytial (Syn) variants. This was unexpected because UL21 has been shown to be required for the Syn phenotype. However, earlier experiments made use of only the A855V syncytial mutant of glycoprotein B (gB), and the Syn phenotype can also be produced by substitutions in glycoprotein K (gK), UL20, and UL24. Sequencing of the syncytial variants revealed mutations in the gK locus, but UL21 was shown to be dispensable for UL20^Syn and UL24^Syn To test whether UL21 is needed only for the A855V mutant, additional gB^Syn derivatives were examined in the context of the null virus, and all produced lytic rather than syncytial sites of infection. Thus, UL21 is required only for the gB^Syn phenotype. This is the first example of a differential requirement for a viral protein across the four syn loci.IMPORTANCE UL21 is conserved among alphaherpesviruses, but its role is poorly understood. This study shows that HSV-1 can replicate without UL21, although the virus titers are greatly reduced. The null virus had greater proportions of empty (DNA-less) capsids in the cytoplasm of infected cells, suggesting that UL21 may play a role in retaining them in the nucleus. This is consistent with reports showing UL21 to be capsid associated and localized to the nuclei of infected cells. UL21 also appears to be needed for viral membrane activities. It was found to be required for virus-mediated cell fusion, but only for mutants that harbor syncytial mutations in gB (not variants of gK, UL20, or UL24). The machinery needed for syncytial formation is similar to that needed for direct spread of the virus through cell junctions, and these studies show that UL21 is required for cell-to-cell spread even in the absence of syncytial mutations.

Potent Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus by MDL 101028, a Novel Biphenyl Disulfonic Acid Urea Co-Polymer

A novel low-molecular-weight sulfonic acid polymer, MDL 101028, was investigated for antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2 in human embryonic diploid fibroblasts (MRC-5) and in a line of monkey kidney cells (Vero). Potent antiviral activities were obtained when treatment was restricted to the adsorption phase of virus propagation as measured by plaque reduction assay, and this was confirmed by experiments at high multiplicity of infection. Inhibition of virus binding to host cells by MDL 101028 was compared to that of heparin, a known antagonist of virus attachment. Both compounds showed dose-dependent inhibition, with IC50 values of 1.1 and 0.43 μg ml−1, respectively. The effect on cell-to-cell fusion was investigated using a syncytial-positive (syn+) phenotypic mutant of HSV-1 (strain 17i). MDL 101028 (3-1 μm) dramatically halted the spread of syncytial lesions; this effect was accompanied by the destruction of the syncytium and regrowth into the lesion by uninfected Vero cells. In contrast, heparin (10 μg ml−1) only partially reduced the spread of syncytia. Protection was also observed with MDL 29797 (100 μg ml−1), an antagonist of glycoprotein maturation. Unexpectedly, only a marginal effect was observed with acyclovir (10 μg ml−1), a potent inhibitor of viral DNA synthesis and HSV growth. As an extension to the current therapy for herpes simplex infection, acyclovir, the potent anti-fusion activity of MDL 101028 may have a clinical use in tissues or organs in which cell-to-cell fusion contributes to the pathology.

Deletion of a Predicted β-Sheet Domain within the Amino Terminus of Herpes Simplex Virus Glycoprotein K Conserved among Alphaherpesviruses Prevents Virus Entry into Neuronal Axons

We have shown previously that herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) lacking expression of the entire glycoprotein K (gK) or expressing gK with a 38-amino-acid deletion (gKΔ31-68 mutation) failed to infect ganglionic neurons after ocular infection of mice. We constructed a new model for the predicted three-dimensional structure of gK, revealing that the gKΔ31-68 mutation spans a well-defined β-sheet structure within the amino terminus of gK, which is conserved among alphaherpesviruses. The HSV-1(McKrae) gKΔ31-68 virus was tested for the ability to enter into ganglionic neuronal axons in cell culture of explanted rat ganglia using a novel virus entry proximity ligation assay (VEPLA). In this assay, cell surface-bound virions were detected by the colocalization of gD and its cognate receptor nectin-1 on infected neuronal surfaces. Capsids that have entered into the cytoplasm were detected by the colocalization of the virion tegument protein UL37, with dynein required for loading of virion capsids onto microtubules for retrograde transport to the nucleus. HSV-1(McKrae) gKΔ31-68 attached to cell surfaces of Vero cells and ganglionic axons in cell culture as efficiently as wild-type HSV-1(McKrae). However, unlike the wild-type virus, the mutant virus failed to enter into the axoplasm of ganglionic neurons. This work suggests that the amino terminus of gK is a critical determinant for entry into neuronal axons and may serve similar conserved functions for other alphaherpesviruses.

IMPORTANCE

Alphaherpesviruses, unlike beta- and gammaherpesviruses, have the unique ability to infect and establish latency in neurons. Glycoprotein K (gK) and the membrane protein UL20 are conserved among all alphaherpesviruses. We show here that a predicted β-sheet domain, which is conserved among alphaherpesviruses, functions in HSV-1 entry into neuronal axons, suggesting that it may serve similar functions for other herpesviruses. These results are in agreement with our previous observations that deletion of this gK domain prevents the virus from successfully infecting ganglionic neurons after ocular infection of mice.

Identification of non-essential loci within the Meleagrid herpesvirus 1 genome

Background

Meleagrid herpesvirus 1 (MeHV-1) infectious bacterial artificial chromosomes (iBACs) are ideal vectors for the development of recombinant vaccines for the poultry industry. However, the full potential of iBACS as vectors can only be realised after thorough genetic characterisation, including identification of those genetic locations that are non-essential for virus replication. Generally, transposition has proven to be a highly effective strategy for rapid and efficient mutagenesis of iBAC clones. The current study describes the characterisation of 34 MeHV-1 mutants containing transposon insertions within the pMeHV1-C18 iBAC genome.

Methods

Tn5 and MuA transposition methods were used to generate a library of 76 MeHV-1 insertion mutants. The capacity of each mutant to facilitate the recovery of infectious MeHV-1 was determined by the transfection of clone DNA into chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Results

Attempts to recover infectious virus from the modified clones identified 14 genetic locations that were essential for MeHV-1 replication in cell culture. Infectious MeHV-1 was recovered from the remaining 14 intragenic insertion mutants and six intergenic insertion mutants, suggesting that the respective insertion locations are non-essential for MeHV-1 replication in cell culture.

Conclusions

The essential and non-essential designations for those MeHV-1 genes characterised in this study were generally in agreement with previous reports for other herpesviruses homologues. However, the requirement for the mardivirus-specific genes LORF4A and LORF5 are reported for the first time. These findings will help direct future work on the development of recombinant poultry vaccines using MeHV-1 as a vector by identifying potential transgene insertion sites within the viral genome.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi10.1186/s12985-015-0362-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Mutations within the pathogenic region of herpes simplex virus 1 gK signal sequences alter cell surface expression and neurovirulence

To investigate the role of the signal sequences of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) gK on virus replication and viral pathogenesis, we constructed recombinant viruses with or without mutations within the signal sequences of gK. These recombinant viruses expressed two additional copies of the mutated (MgK) or native (NgK) form of the gK gene in place of the latency-associated transcript with a myc epitope tag to facilitate detection at their 3' ends. The replication of MgK virus was similar to that of NgK both in vitro and in vivo, as well as in the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of latently infected mice. The levels of gB and gK transcripts in the corneas, TG, and brains of infected mice on days 3 and 5 postinfection were markedly virus and time dependent, as well as tissue specific. Mutation in the signal sequence of gK in MgK virus blocked cell surface expression of gK-myc in rabbit skin cells, increased 50% lethal dose, and decreased corneal scarring in ocularly infected mice compared to the NgK or revertant (RgK) virus. MgK and NgK viruses, and not the RgK virus, showed a reduced extent of explant reactivation at the lower dose of ocular infection but not at the higher dose. However, the time of reactivation was not affected by overexpression of the different forms of gK. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that the 8mer peptide (ITAYGLVL) within the signal sequence of gK promotes cell surface expression of gK in infected cells and ocular pathogenesis in infected mice.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, we show for the first time that mutations within the signal sequence of gK blocked cell surface expression of inserted recombinant gK in vitro. Furthermore, this blockage in cell surface expression was correlated with higher 50% lethal dose and less corneal scarring in vivo. Thus, these studies point to a key role for the 8mer within the signal sequence of gK in HSV-1-induced pathogenicity.

Herpes simplex virus 1 gN partners with gM to modulate the viral fusion machinery

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) capsids are assembled in the nucleus, where they incorporate the viral genome. They then transit through the two nuclear membranes and are wrapped by a host-derived envelope. In the process, several HSV-1 proteins are targeted to the nuclear membranes, but their roles in viral nuclear egress are unclear. Among them, glycoprotein M (gM), a known modulator of virus-induced membrane fusion, is distributed on both the inner and outer nuclear membranes at the early stages of the infection, when no other viral glycoproteins are yet present there. Later on, it is found on perinuclear virions and ultimately redirected to the trans-Golgi network (TGN), where it cycles with the cell surface. In contrast, transfected gM is found only at the TGN and cell surface, hinting at an interaction with other viral proteins. Interestingly, many herpesvirus gM analogs interact with their gN counterparts, which typically alters their intracellular localization. To better understand how HSV-1 gM localization is regulated, we evaluated its ability to bind gN and discovered it does so in both transfected and infected cells, an interaction strongly weakened by the deletion of the gM amino terminus. Functionally, while gN had no impact on gM localization, gM redirected gN from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the TGN. Most interestingly, gN overexpression stimulated the formation of syncytia in the context of an infection by a nonsyncytial strain, indicating that gM and gN not only physically but also functionally interact and that gN modulates gM's activity on membrane fusion.

IMPORTANCE

HSV-1 gM is an important modulator of virally induced cell-cell fusion and viral entry, a process that is likely finely modulated in time and space. Until now, little was known of the proteins that regulate gM's activity. In parallel, gM is found in various intracellular locations at different moments, ranging from nuclear membranes, perinuclear virions, the TGN, cell surface, and mature extracellular virions. In transfected cells, however, it is found only on the TGN and cell surface, hinting that its localization is modulated by other viral proteins. The present study identifies HSV-1 gN as a binding partner for gM, in agreement with their analogs in other herpesviruses, but most excitingly shows that gN modulates gM's impact on HSV-1-induced membrane fusion. These findings open up new research avenues on the viral fusion machinery.

Inhibitors of signal peptide peptidase (SPP) affect HSV-1 infectivity in vitro and in vivo

Recently we have shown that the highly conserved herpes simplex virus glycoprotein K (gK) binds to signal peptide peptidase (SPP), also known as minor histocompatibility antigen H13. In this study we have demonstrated for the first time that inhibitors of SPP, such as L685,458, (Z-LL)2 ketone, aspirin, ibuprofen and DAPT, significantly reduced HSV-1 replication in tissue culture. Inhibition of SPP activity via (Z-LL)2 ketone significantly reduced viral transcripts in the nucleus of infected cells. Finally, when administered during primary infection, (Z-LL)2 ketone inhibitor reduced HSV-1 replication in the eyes of ocularly infected mice. Thus, blocking SPP activity may represent a clinically effective and expedient approach to the reduction of viral replication and the resulting pathology.

Functional hierarchy of herpes simplex virus type-1 membrane proteins in corneal infection and virus transmission to ganglionic neurons

PURPOSE

To determine the relative importance of viral glycoproteins gK, gM, gE and the membrane protein UL11 in infection of mouse corneas and ganglionic neurons.

METHODS

Mouse eyes were scarified and infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1(F), gE-null, gM-null, gK-null, or UL11-null viruses. Clinical signs of ocular disease were monitored daily. Virus shedding was determined at 24, 48 and 72 h post infection. Viral DNA within trigeminal ganglia (TG) was quantified by quantitative PCR at 30 d post infection.

RESULTS

The gE-null virus replicated as efficiently as the parental virus and formed viral plaques approximately half-the-size in comparison with the HSV-1(F) wild-type virus. The UL11-null and gM-null viruses replicated approximately one log less efficiently than the wild-type virus, and formed plaques that were on average one-third the size and one-half the size of the wild-type virus, respectively. The gK-null virus replicated more than 3-logs less efficiently than the wild-type virus and formed very small plaques (5-10 cells). Mice infected with the wild-type virus exhibited mild clinical ocular symptoms, while mice infected with the mutant viruses did not show any significant ocular changes. The wild-type virus produced the highest virus shedding post infection followed by the gM-null, gE-null and UL11-null viruses, while no gK-null virus was detected at any time point. All TG collected from mice infected with the wild-type virus and 6-of-10 of TG retrieved from mice infected with the UL11-null virus contained high numbers of viral genomes. The gE-null and gM-null-infected ganglia contained moderate-to-low number of viral genomes in 4-of-10 and 2-of-10 mice, respectively. No viral genomes were detected in ganglionic tissues obtained from gK-null eye infections.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that gK plays the most important role among gM, gE and UL11 in corneal and ganglionic infection in the mouse eye model.

Overexpression of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein K (gK) alters expression of HSV receptors in ocularly-infected mice

PURPOSE

We have shown previously that HSV-1 glycoprotein K (gK) exacerbates corneal scarring (CS) in mice and rabbits. Here, we investigated the relative impact of gK overexpression on host responses during primary corneal infection and latency in trigeminal ganglia (TG) of infected mice.

METHODS

Mice were infected ocularly with HSV-gK(3) (expressing two extra copies of gK replacing latency associated transcript [LAT]), HSV-gK(3) revertant (HSV-gK(3)R), or wild-type HSV-1 strain McKrae. Individual corneas on day 5 post infection (PI) and TG on day 28 PI were isolated and used for detection of gB DNA in the TG, HSV-1 receptors in the cornea and TG, and inflammatory infiltrates in TG.

RESULTS

During primary HSV-1 infection, gK overexpression resulted in altered expression of herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), 3-O-sulfated heparin sulfate (3-OS-HS), paired immunoglobulin-like type 2 receptor-α (PILR-α), nectin-1, and nectin-2 in cornea of BALB/c, but not C57BL/6 mice. However, gK overexpression did have an effect on 3-OS-HS, PILR-α, nectin-1, and nectin-2 expression (but not HVEM expression) in TG of C57BL/6 mice during latency. These differences did not affect the level of latency, but instead were correlated with the presence of CS. The presence of LAT increased HVEM expression and this effect was enhanced further by the presence of CS in latently-infected mice. Finally, the presence of LAT, but not overexpression of gK, affected CD4, CD8, TNF-α, Tim-3, PD-1, IL-21, IL-2, and IFN-γ expression in TG.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate a novel link between gK exacerbation of CS and HSV-1 receptors, suggesting a gK-induced molecular route for the pathogenesis as well as selective advantage of these entry routes for the pathogen during latency-reactivation cycle.

Herpes simplex virus 1 protein UL37 interacts with viral glycoprotein gK and membrane protein UL20 and functions in cytoplasmic virion envelopment

We have shown that glycoprotein K (gK) and its interacting partner, the UL20 protein, play crucial roles in virion envelopment. Specifically, virions lacking either gK or UL20 fail to acquire an envelope, thus causing accumulation of capsids in the cytoplasm of infected cells. The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) UL37 protein has also been implicated in cytoplasmic virion envelopment. To further investigate the role of UL37 in virion envelopment, the recombinant virus DC480 was constructed by insertion of a 12-amino-acid protein C (protC) epitope tag within the UL37 amino acid sequence immediately after amino acid 480. The DC480 mutant virus expressed full-size UL37 as detected by the anti-protC antibody in Western immunoblots, accumulated unenveloped capsids in the cytoplasm of infected cells, and produced very small plaques on African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells that were similar in size to those produced by the UL20-null and UL37-null viruses. The DC480 virus replicated nearly 4 log less efficiently than the parental wild-type virus when grown on Vero cells. However, DC480 mutant virus titers increased nearly 20-fold when the virus was grown on FRT cells engineered to express the UL20 gene in comparison to the titers on Vero cells, while the UL37-null virus replicated approximately 20-fold less efficiently than the DC480 virus on FRT cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments and proximity ligation assays showed that gK and UL20 interact with the UL37 protein in infected cells. Collectively, these results indicate that UL37 interacts with the gK-UL20 protein complex to facilitate cytoplasmic virion envelopment.

IMPORTANCE

Herpes simplex viruses acquire their final envelopes by budding into cytoplasmic membranes derived from the trans-Golgi network (TGN). The tegument proteins UL36 and UL37 are known to be transported to the TGN sites of virus envelopment and to function in virion envelopment, since mutants lacking UL37 accumulate capsids in the cytoplasm that are unable to bud into TGN membranes. Viral glycoprotein K (gK) also functions in cytoplasmic envelopment, in a protein complex with the membrane-associated protein UL20 (UL20mp). This work shows for the first time that the UL37 protein functionally interacts with gK and UL20 to facilitate cytoplasmic virion envelopment. This work may lead to the design of specific drugs that can interrupt UL37 interactions with the gK-UL20 protein complex, providing new ways to combat herpesviral infections.

Binding of HSV-1 glycoprotein K (gK) to signal peptide peptidase (SPP) is required for virus infectivity

Glycoprotein K (gK) is a virion envelope protein of herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), which plays important roles in virion entry, morphogenesis and egress. Two-hybrid and pull-down assays were utilized to demonstrate that gK and no other HSV-1 genes specifically binds to signal peptide peptidase (SPP), also known as minor histocompatibility antigen H13. SPP dominant negative mutants, shRNA against SPP significantly reduced HSV-1 replication in vitro. SPP also affected lysosomes and ER responses to HSV-1 infection. Thus, in this study we have shown for the first time that gK, despite its role in fusion and egress, is also involved in binding the cytoplasmic protein SPP. These results also suggest that SPP plays an important role in viral replication and possibly virus pathogenesis. This makes SPP unique in that its function appears to be required by the virus as no other protein can compensate its loss in terms of viral replication.

A replication competent HSV-1(McKrae) with a mutation in the amino-terminus of glycoprotein K (gK) is unable to infect mouse trigeminal ganglia after cornea infection

PURPOSE

To determine the role of the amino terminus of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein K (gK) in corneal infection, neuroinvasion, and establishment of virus latency in trigeminal ganglia of mice.

METHODS

The recombinant virus HSV-1 (McKΔgK31-68) was constructed by engineering gK genes encoding gK lacking 38 amino acids immediately after the gK signal sequence. A rescued virus was also produced. Mouse eyes were scarified and infected with 10(5) plaque forming units (PFU) in each eye. Clinical signs of ocular disease were monitored daily. Thirty days postinfection trigeminal ganglia were collected and processed for quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of viral DNA and recovery of infectious virions by cell culture of ganglionic tissues.

RESULTS

Deletion of the amino terminus of gK encoded by the McKΔgK31-68 mutant virus did not substantially affect its replication kinetics on African green monkey kidney cells (Vero), while it reduced cell-to-cell spread. McK viral infection of scarified mouse corneas with 10(5) PFU produced severe ocular disease. In contrast, McKΔgK31-68 viral infection with 10(5) PFU produced no significant ocular disease symptoms. All ganglia from mice infected with the McK virus produced high numbers of infectious virions upon explant culture in Vero cells, in agreement with qPCR results detecting high number of HSV-1 viral DNA in ganglionic tissues. In contrast, qPCR failed to detect any viral genomes in McKΔgK31-68 ganglia, while two of the ten ganglia revealed the presence of low numbers of infectious virions upon explant culture in Vero cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that the amino terminus of gK is essential for neuroinvasiveness and acute herpes keratitis in the mouse eye model. It is likely that gK is involved in efficient infection of axonal termini, since mouse eye scarification provided a direct access to the high density of neuronal axons innervating mouse corneas.

Herpes simplex virus 1 glycoprotein M and the membrane-associated protein UL11 are required for virus-induced cell fusion and efficient virus entry

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) facilitates virus entry into cells and cell-to-cell spread by mediating fusion of the viral envelope with cellular membranes and fusion of adjacent cellular membranes. Although virus strains isolated from herpetic lesions cause limited cell fusion in cell culture, clinical herpetic lesions typically contain large syncytia, underscoring the importance of cell-to-cell fusion in virus spread in infected tissues. Certain mutations in glycoprotein B (gB), gK, UL20, and other viral genes drastically enhance virus-induced cell fusion in vitro and in vivo. Recent work has suggested that gB is the sole fusogenic glycoprotein, regulated by interactions with the viral glycoproteins gD, gH/gL, and gK, membrane protein UL20, and cellular receptors. Recombinant viruses were constructed to abolish either gM or UL11 expression in the presence of strong syncytial mutations in either gB or gK. Virus-induced cell fusion caused by deletion of the carboxyl-terminal 28 amino acids of gB or the dominant syncytial mutation in gK (Ala to Val at amino acid 40) was drastically reduced in the absence of gM. Similarly, syncytial mutations in either gB or gK did not cause cell fusion in the absence of UL11. Neither the gM nor UL11 gene deletion substantially affected gB, gC, gD, gE, and gH glycoprotein synthesis and expression on infected cell surfaces. Two-way immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that the membrane protein UL20, which is found as a protein complex with gK, interacted with gM while gM did not interact with other viral glycoproteins. Viruses produced in the absence of gM or UL11 entered into cells more slowly than their parental wild-type virus strain. Collectively, these results indicate that gM and UL11 are required for efficient membrane fusion events during virus entry and virus spread.

The amino terminus of herpes simplex virus 1 glycoprotein K is required for virion entry via the paired immunoglobulin-like type-2 receptor alpha

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein K (gK)/UL20 protein complex is incorporated into virion envelopes and cellular membranes and functions during virus entry and cell-to-cell spread. To investigate the role of gK/UL20 in the context of a highly neurovirulent virus strain, the HSV-1(McKrae) genome was cloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome plasmid (McKbac) and utilized to construct the mutant virus McK(gKΔ31-68), carrying a 37-amino-acid deletion within the gK amino terminus. The McKbac virus entered efficiently into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells constitutively expressing HSV-1 human receptors, nectin-1, herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), or paired immunoglobulin-like type-2 receptor alpha (PILRα). In contrast, the McK(gKΔ31-68) virus failed to enter into CHO-PILRα cells, while it entered CHO cells expressing HVEM and nectin-1 more efficiently than the McKbac virus. Both McKbac and McK(gKΔ31-68) viruses entered all CHO cells expressing HSV-1 receptors via a pH-independent pathway. The HSV-1(F) gBΔ28syn mutant virus, encoding a carboxyl-terminal truncated gB, causes extensive cell fusion. Previously, we showed that the gKΔ31-68 amino acid deletion abrogated gBΔ28syn virus-induced cell fusion, indicating that the amino terminus of gK is required for gB-mediated virus-induced cell fusion (V. N. Chouljenko, A. V. Iyer, S. Chowdhury, D. V. Chouljenko, and K. G. J. Kousoulas, Virology 83:12301-12313, 2009). Surprisingly, the gKΔ31-68/gBΔ28syn virus caused extensive fusion of CHO-nectin-1 cells but limited cell fusion of CHO-PILRα cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that both gK and PILRα bound gB in infected cells. Collectively, these results indicate that the amino terminus of gK is functionally and physically associated with the gB-PILRα protein complex and regulates membrane fusion of the viral envelope with cellular membranes during virus entry as well as virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion.

Sequence of a fusogenic herpes simplex virus, RH2, for oncolytic virotherapy

RH2 is a novel oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) produced by simultaneous infection with neurovirulent γ134.5 gene-deficient HSV-1 R849 derived from strain F and the spontaneously occurring, fusogenic HSV-1 HF in cell culture. The genome of RH2 was studied using Genome Sequencer FLX. RH2 comprised 149 64 bp and it was shown that the lacZ gene was inserted into the γ134.5 gene of R849. Comparison of ORFs revealed that RH2 had 100 % identity with strain F in 21/58 unique long (UL) genes (36.2%) and 1/13 unique short (US) genes (7.7%). RH2 had 100% amino acid identity with HF10 in 24/58 UL genes (41.4%) and 9/13 US genes (69.2%). Twelve genes, including UL27 (gB), US4 (gG) and UL6 (gD), had amino acid changes unique to RH2. Amino acid changes in gB occurred at positions 459 (T→A) and 817 (L→P). Other unique features were the amino acids missing in UL36 (VP1/2) and UL46 (VP11/12). Thus, RH2 is an HF10-based vector preserving the fusogenic amino acid changes of gB but lacking the γ134.5 gene. RH2 is expected to be a version of HF10 useful for the treatment of brain tumours as well as oral squamous cell carcinoma. Spontaneously occurring HSV-1 mutants may also be useful clinically, as their genome sequences can easily be determined by this genome sequencing system.

Immunization with different viral antigens alters the pattern of T cell exhaustion and latency in herpes simplex virus type 1-infected mice

We have shown previously that immunization with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein K (gK) exacerbated corneal scarring (CS) in ocularly infected mice. In this study, we investigated whether higher levels of CS were correlated with higher levels of latency and T cell exhaustion in gK-immunized mice. BALB/c mice were vaccinated with baculovirus-expressed gK or gD or mock immunized. Twenty-one days after the third immunization, mice were ocularly infected with 2 × 10(4) PFU/eye of virulent HSV-1 strain McKrae. On day 5 postinfection, virus replication in the eye was measured, and on day 30 postinfection, infiltration of the trigeminal ganglia (TG) by CD4, CD8, programmed death 1 (PD-1), and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) was monitored by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). This study demonstrated that higher levels of CS were correlated with higher levels of latency, and this was associated with the presence of significantly higher numbers of CD4(+)PD-1(+) and CD8(+)PD-1(+) cells in the TG of the gK-immunized group than in both the gD- and mock-immunized groups. Levels of exhaustion associated with Tim-3 were the same among gK- and mock-vaccinated groups but higher than levels in the gD-vaccinated group. In this study, we have shown for the first time that both PD-1 and Tim-3 contribute to T cell exhaustion and an increase of latency in the TG of latently infected mice.

Expressing gK gene of duck enteritis virus guided by bioinformatics and its applied prospect in diagnosis

Background

Duck viral enteritis, which is caused by duck enteritis virus (DEV), causes significant economic losses in domestic and wild waterfowls because of the high mortality and low egg production rates. With the purpose of eliminating this disease and decreasing economic loss in the commercial duck industry, researching on glycoprotein K (gK) of DEV may be a new kind of method for preventing and curing this disease. Because glycoproteins project from the virus envelope as spikes and are directly involved in the host immune system and elicitation of the host immune responses, and also play an important role in mediating infection of target cells, the entry into cell for free virus and the maturation or egress of virus. The gK is one of the major envelope glycoproteins of DEV. However, little information correlated with gK is known, such as antigenic and functional characterization.

Results

Bioinformatic predictions revealed that the expression of the full-length gK gene (fgK) in a prokaryotic system is difficult because of the presence of suboptimal exon and transmembrane domains at the C-terminal. In this study, we found that the fgK gene might not be expressed in a prokaryotic system in accordance with the bioinformatic predictions. Further, we successfully used bioinformatics tools to guide the prokaryotic expression of the gK gene by designing a novel truncated gK gene (tgK). These findings indicated that bioinformatics provides theoretical data for target gene expression and saves time for our research. The recombinant tgK protein (tgK) was expressed and purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). Western blotting and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that the tgK possessed antigenic characteristics similar to native DEV-gK.

Conclusions

In this work, the DEV-tgK was expressed successfully in prokaryotic system for the first time, which will provide usefull information for prokaryotic expression of alphaherpesvirus gK homologs, and the recombinant truncated gK possessed antigenic characteristics similar to native DEV gK. Because of the good reactionogenicity, specificity and sensitivity, the purified tgK could be useful for developing a sensitive serum diagnostic kit to monitor DEV outbreaks.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 protein and the amino terminus of glycoprotein K (gK) physically interact with gB

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein K (gK) and the UL20 protein (UL20p) are strictly required for virus-induced cell fusion, and mutations within either the gK or UL20 gene cause extensive cell fusion (syncytium formation). We have shown that gK forms a functional protein complex with UL20p, which is required for all gK and UL20p-associated functions in the HSV-1 life cycle. Recently, we showed that the amino-terminal 82 amino acids (aa) of gK (gKa) were required for the expression of the syncytial phenotype of the mutant virus gBDelta28 lacking the carboxyl-terminal 28 amino acids of gB (V. N. Chouljenko, A. V. Iyer, S. Chowdhury, D. V. Chouljenko, and K. G. Kousoulas, J. Virol. 83:12301-12313, 2009). This work suggested that the amino terminus of gK may directly or indirectly interact with gB and/or other viral glycoproteins. Two-way coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that UL20p interacted with gB in infected cells. Furthermore, the gKa peptide was coimmunoprecipitated with gB but not gD. Three recombinant baculoviruses were constructed, expressing the amino-terminal 82 aa of gKa together with either the extracellular portion of gB (30 to 748 aa), gD (1 to 340 aa), or gH (1 to 792 aa), respectively. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that gKa physically interacted with the extracellular portions of gB and gH but not gD. Three additional recombinant baculoviruses expressing gKa and truncated gBs encompassing aa 30 to 154, 30 to 364, and 30 to 500 were constructed. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that gKa physically interacted with all three truncated gBs. Computer-assisted prediction of possible gKa binding sites on gB suggested that gKa may interact predominantly with gB domain I (E. E. Heldwein, H. Lou, F. C. Bender, G. H. Cohen, R. J. Eisenberg, and S. C. Harrison, Science 313:217-220, 2006). These results imply that the gK/UL20p protein complex modulates the fusogenic properties of gB and gH via direct physical interactions.

Syncytial phenotype of C-terminally truncated herpes simplex virus type 1 gB is associated with diminished membrane interactions

The cytoplasmic domain of glycoprotein B (gB) from herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is an important regulator of membrane fusion. C-terminal truncations of the cytoplasmic domain lead to either hyperfusion or fusion-null phenotypes. Currently, neither the structure of the cytoplasmic domain nor its mechanism of fusion regulation is known. Here we show, for the first time, that the full-length cytoplasmic domain of HSV-1 gB associates stably with lipid membranes, preferentially binding to membranes containing anionic head groups. This interaction involves a large increase in helical content. However, the truncated cytoplasmic domains associated with the hyperfusion phenotype show a small increase in helical structure and a diminished association with lipid membranes, whereas the one associated with the fusion-null phenotype shows no increase in helical structure and only a minimal association with lipid membranes. We hypothesize that stable binding to lipid membranes is an important part of the mechanism by which the cytoplasmic domain negatively regulates membrane fusion. Moreover, our experiments with truncated cytoplasmic domains point to two specific regions that are critical for membrane interactions. Taken together, our work provides several important new insights into the architecture of the cytoplasmic domain of HSV-1 gB and its interaction with lipid membranes.

The amino terminus of herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein K (gK) modulates gB-mediated virus-induced cell fusion and virion egress

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-induced cell fusion is mediated by viral glycoproteins and other membrane proteins expressed on infected cell surfaces. Certain mutations in the carboxyl terminus of HSV-1 glycoprotein B (gB) and in the amino terminus of gK cause extensive virus-induced cell fusion. Although gB is known to be a fusogenic glycoprotein, the mechanism by which gK is involved in virus-induced cell fusion remains elusive. To delineate the amino-terminal domains of gK involved in virus-induced cell fusion, the recombinant viruses gKDelta31-47, gKDelta31-68, and gKDelta31-117, expressing gK carrying in-frame deletions spanning the amino terminus of gK immediately after the gK signal sequence (amino acids [aa] 1 to 30), were constructed. Mutant viruses gKDelta31-47 and gKDelta31-117 exhibited a gK-null (DeltagK) phenotype characterized by the formation of very small viral plaques and up to a 2-log reduction in the production of infectious virus in comparison to that for the parental HSV-1(F) wild-type virus. The gKDelta31-68 mutant virus formed substantially larger plaques and produced 1-log-higher titers than the gKDelta31-47 and gKDelta31-117 mutant virions at low multiplicities of infection. Deletion of 28 aa from the carboxyl terminus of gB (gBDelta28syn) caused extensive virus-induced cell fusion. However, the gBDelta28syn mutation was unable to cause virus-induced cell fusion in the presence of the gKDelta31-68 mutation. Transient expression of a peptide composed of the amino-terminal 82 aa of gK (gKa) produced a glycosylated peptide that was efficiently expressed on cell surfaces only after infection with the HSV-1(F), gKDelta31-68, DeltagK, or UL20-null virus. The gKa peptide complemented the gKDelta31-47 and gKDelta31-68 mutant viruses for infectious-virus production and for gKDelta31-68/gBDelta28syn-mediated cell fusion. These data show that the amino terminus of gK modulates gB-mediated virus-induced cell fusion and virion egress.

Phosphorylation of the U(L)31 protein of herpes simplex virus 1 by the U(S)3-encoded kinase regulates localization of the nuclear envelopment complex and egress of nucleocapsids

Herpes simplex virus 1 nucleocapsids bud through the inner nuclear membrane (INM) into the perinuclear space to obtain a primary viral envelope. This process requires a protein complex at the INM composed of the U(L)31 and U(L)34 gene products. While it is clear that the viral kinase encoded by the U(S)3 gene regulates the localization of pU(L)31/pU(L)34 within the INM, the molecular mechanism by which this is accomplished remains enigmatic. Here, we have determined the following. (i) The N terminus of pU(L)31 is indispensable for the protein's normal function and contains up to six serines that are phosphorylated by the U(S)3 kinase during infection. (ii) Phosphorylation at these six serines was not essential for a productive infection but was required for optimal viral growth kinetics. (iii) In the presence of active U(S)3 kinase, changing the serines to alanine caused the pU(L)31/pU(L)34 complex to aggregate at the nuclear rim and caused some virions to accumulate aberrantly in herniations of the nuclear membrane, much as in cells infected with a U(S)3 kinase-dead mutant. (iv) The replacement of the six serines of pU(L)31 with glutamic acid largely restored the smooth distribution of pU(L)34/pU(L)31 at the nuclear membrane and precluded the accumulation of virions in herniations whether or not U(S)3 kinase was active but also precluded the optimal primary envelopment of nucleocapsids. These observations indicate that the phosphorylation of pU(L)31 by pU(S)3 represents an important regulatory event in the virion egress pathway that can account for much of pU(S)3's role in nuclear egress. The data also suggest that the dynamics of pU(L)31 phosphorylation modulate both the primary envelopment and the subsequent fusion of the nascent virion envelope with the outer nuclear membrane.

Functional and physical interactions of the herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 membrane protein with glycoprotein K

Herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein K (gK) and the UL20 protein (UL20p) are coordinately transported to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and cell surfaces and are required for cytoplasmic virion envelopment at the TGN. In addition, cell surface expression of gK and UL20p is required for virus-induced cell fusion. Previously, confocal microscopy colocalization and intracellular transport experiments strongly suggested direct protein-protein interactions between gK and UL20p. Direct protein-protein interactions between gK and UL20p were demonstrated through reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation experiments, as well as with glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down experiments. A fusion protein consisting of the amino-terminal 66 amino acids of UL20p fused in-frame with GST was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified via glutathione column chromatography. Precipitation of GST-UL20p from mixtures of GST-UL20p fusion protein with cellular extracts containing gK specifically coprecipitated gK but not other viral glycoproteins. The purified UL20p-GST fusion protein reacted with all gK-associated protein species. It was concluded that the amino terminus of UL20p, most likely, interacted with gK domain III, which is predicted to lie intracellularly. UL20p-gK domain-specific interactions must serve important functions in the coordinate transport of UL20p and gK to the TGN, because retention of UL20p in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via the addition of an ER retention signal at the carboxyl terminus of UL20p forced the ER retention of gK and drastically inhibited intracellular virion envelopment and virus-induced cell fusion.

The herpes simplex virus UL20 protein functions in glycoprotein K (gK) intracellular transport and virus-induced cell fusion are independent of UL20 functions in cytoplasmic virion envelopment

The HSV-1 UL20 protein (UL20p) and glycoprotein K (gK) are both important determinants of cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis and virus-induced cell fusion. In this manuscript, we examined the effect of UL20 mutations on the coordinate transport and Trans Golgi Network (TGN) localization of UL20p and gK, virus-induced cell fusion and infectious virus production. Deletion of 18 amino acids from the UL20p carboxyl terminus (UL20 mutant 204t) inhibited intracellular transport and cell-surface expression of both gK and UL20, resulting in accumulation of UL20p and gK in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in agreement with the inability of 204t to complement UL20-null virus replication and virus-induced cell fusion. In contrast, less severe carboxyl terminal deletions of either 11 or six amino acids (UL20 mutants 211t and 216t, respectively) allowed efficient UL20p and gK intracellular transport, cell-surface expression and TGN colocalization. However, while both 211t and 216t failed to complement for infectious virus production, 216t complemented for virus-induced cell fusion, but 211t did not. These results indicated that the carboxyl terminal six amino acids of UL20p were crucial for infectious virus production, but not involved in intracellular localization of UL20p/gK and concomitant virus-induced cell fusion. In the amino terminus of UL20, UL20p mutants were produced changing one or both of the Y38 and Y49 residues found within putative phosphorylation sites. UL20p tyrosine-modified mutants with both tyrosine residues changed enabled efficient intracellular transport and TGN localization of UL20p and gK, but failed to complement for either infectious virus production, or virus-induced cell fusion. These results show that UL20p functions in cytoplasmic envelopment are separable from UL20 functions in UL20p intracellular transport, cell surface expression and virus-induced cell fusion.

A recombinant herpes simplex virus type 1 expressing two additional copies of gK is more pathogenic than wild-type virus in two different strains of mice

The effect of glycoprotein K (gK) overexpression on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in two different strains of mice was evaluated using a recombinant HSV-1 virus that expresses two additional copies of the gK gene in place of the latency-associated transcript (LAT). This mutant virus (HSV-gK3) expressed higher levels of gK than either the wild-type McKrae virus or the parental dLAT2903 virus both in vitro (in cultured cells) and in vivo (in infected mouse corneas and trigeminal ganglia [TG] of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice). gK transcripts were detected in the TG of both HSV-gK3-infected mouse strains on day 30 postinfection (p.i.), while gB transcripts were detected only in the TG of the HSV-gK3-infected C57BL/6 mice, a finding that suggests that increased gK levels promote chronic infection. C57BL/6 mice infected with HSV-gK3 also contained free virus in their TG on day 30 p.i. Both HSV-gK3-infected mouse strains had significantly higher corneal scarring (CS) than did McKrae-infected mice. T-cell depletion studies in C57BL/6 mice suggested that this CS enhancement in the HSV-gK3-infected mice was mediated by a CD8+ T-cell response. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that increased gK levels promote eye disease and chronic infection in infected mice.

Epitope mapping of HSV-1 glycoprotein K (gK) reveals a T cell epitope located within the signal domain of gK

Glycoprotein K (gK) is a virion envelope component of herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), which plays an important role in virion morphogenesis and egress. We previously demonstrated that immunization of mice with gK, but not with any of the 10 other HSV-1 glycoproteins, resulted in exacerbation of corneal scarring and herpetic dermatitis following ocular HSV-1 infection. However, little is known about the gK epitope(s) that is (are) involved in T cell activities in vitro or in vivo. Thus, epitope mapping of gK was performed using a panel of 15-mer peptides with five-amino acid overlaps spanning the full-length gK, and four expressed gK recombinant proteins representing different regions of gK. Epitope mapping within the gK polypeptide defined the amino acid sequence STVVLITAYGLVLVW as the predominant CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell stimulatory region both in vitro and in vivo. IFN-gamma expression by CD4(+) T cells was CD8(+) T cells-dependent. This immunodominant epitope is located within the signal sequence of the gK polypeptide and is highly conserved in HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains. Using prediction algorithms, the peptide is predicted to bind to numerous MHC class I and class II molecules.

Intracellular localization of varicella-zoster virus ORF39 protein and its functional relationship to glycoprotein K

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encodes two multiply inserted membrane proteins, open reading frame (ORF) 39 protein (ORF39p) and glycoprotein K (gK). The HSV-1 homologs of these proteins are believed to act in conjunction with each other during viral egress and cell-cell fusion, and they directly influence each other's intracellular trafficking. However, ORF39p and VZV gK have received very limited study largely due to difficulties in producing antibodies to these highly hydrophobic proteins. To overcome this obstacle, we introduced epitope tags into both ORF39p and gK and examined their intracellular distributions in transfected and infected cells. Our data demonstrate that both ORF39p and gK accumulate predominately in the ER of cultured cells when expressed in the absence of other VZV proteins or when coexpressed in isolation from other VZV proteins. Therefore, the transport of VZV ORF39p and gK does not exhibit the functional interdependence seen in their HSV-1 homologs. However, during infection, the primary distributions of ORF39p and gK shift from the ER to the Golgi, and they are also found in the plasma membrane indicating that their intracellular trafficking during infection depends on other VZV-encoded proteins. During infection, ORF39p and gK tightly colocalize with VZV envelope glycoproteins B, E and H; however, the coexpression of ORF39p or gK with other individual viral glycoproteins is insufficient to alter the transport of either ORF39p or gK.

Human cytomegalovirus UL131 open reading frame is required for epithelial cell tropism

Epithelial cells are one of the prominent cell types infected by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) within its host. However, many cultured epithelial cells, such as ARPE-19 retinal pigmented epithelial cells, are poorly infected by laboratory-adapted strains in cell culture, and little is known about the viral factors that determine HCMV epithelial cell tropism. In this report, we demonstrate that the UL131 open reading frame (ORF), and likely the entire UL131-128 locus, is required for efficient infection of epithelial cells. Repair of the mutated UL131 gene in the AD169 laboratory strain of HCMV restored its ability to infect both epithelial and endothelial cells while compromising its ability to replicate in fibroblasts. ARPE-19 epithelial cells support replication of the repaired AD169 virus as well as clinical isolates of HCMV. Productive infection of cultured epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts with the repaired AD169 virus leads to extensive membrane fusion and syncytium formation, suggesting that the virus may spread through cell-cell fusion.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 gK is required for gB-mediated virus-induced cell fusion, while neither gB and gK nor gB and UL20p function redundantly in virion de-envelopment

Multiple amino acid changes within herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) gB and gK cause extensive virus-induced cell fusion and the formation of multinucleated cells (syncytia). Early reports established that syncytial mutations in gK could not cause cell-to-cell fusion in the absence of gB. To investigate the interdependence of gB, gK, and UL20p in virus-induced cell fusion and virion de-envelopment from perinuclear spaces as well as to compare the ultrastructural phenotypes of the different mutant viruses in a syngeneic HSV-1 (F) genetic background, gB-null, gK-null, UL20-null, gB/gK double-null, and gB/UL20 double-null viruses were constructed with the HSV-1 (F) bacterial artificial chromosome pYEBac102. The gK/gB double-null virus YEbacDeltagBDeltagK was used to isolate the recombinant viruses gBsyn3DeltagK and gBamb1511DeltagK, which lack the gK gene and carry the gBsyn3 or gBamb1511 syncytial mutation, respectively. Both viruses formed small nonsyncytial plaques on noncomplementing Vero cells and large syncytial plaques on gK-complementing cells, indicating that gK expression was necessary for gBsyn3- and gBamb1511-induced cell fusion. Lack of virus-induced cell fusion was not due to defects in virion egress, since recombinant viruses specifying the gBsyn3 or gKsyn20 mutation in the UL19/UL20 double-null genetic background caused extensive cell fusion on UL20-complementing cells. As expected, the gB-null virus failed to produce infectious virus, but enveloped virion particles egressed efficiently out of infected cells. The gK-null and UL20-null viruses exhibited cytoplasmic defects in virion morphogenesis like those of the corresponding HSV-1 (KOS) mutant viruses. Similarly, the gB/gK double-null and gB/UL20 double-null viruses accumulated capsids in the cytoplasm, indicating that gB, gK, and UL20p do not function redundantly in membrane fusion during virion de-envelopment at the outer nuclear lamellae.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein K and the UL20 protein are interdependent for intracellular trafficking and trans-Golgi network localization

Final envelopment of the cytoplasmic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) nucleocapsid is thought to occur by budding into trans-Golgi network (TGN)-derived membranes. The highly membrane-associated proteins UL20p and glycoprotein K (gK) are required for cytoplasmic envelopment at the TGN and virion transport from the TGN to extracellular spaces. Furthermore, the UL20 protein is required for intracellular transport and cell surface expression of gK. Independently expressed gK or UL20p via transient expression in Vero cells failed to be transported from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Similarly, infection of Vero cells with either gK-null or UL20-null viruses resulted in ER entrapment of UL20p or gK, respectively. In HSV-1 wild-type virus infections and to a lesser extent in transient gK and UL20p coexpression experiments, both gK and UL20p localized to the Golgi apparatus. In wild-type, but not UL20-null, viral infections, gK was readily detected on cell surfaces. In contrast, transiently coexpressed gK and UL20p predominantly localized to the TGN and were not readily detected on cell surfaces. However, TGN-localized gK and UL20p originated from endocytosed gK and UL20p expressed at cell surfaces. Retention of UL20p to the ER through the addition of an ER retention motif forced total ER retention of gK, indicating that transport of gK is absolutely dependent on UL20p transport. In all experiments, gK and UL20p colocalized at intracellular sites, including the ER, Golgi, and TGN. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that gK and UL20p directly interact and that this interaction facilitates their TGN localization, an important prerequisite for cytoplasmic virion envelopment and egress.

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) glycoprotein K is required for efficient cell-to-cell spread and virus egress

The function of the equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) glycoprotein K (gK) homologue was investigated. Deletion of 88% of the UL53-homologous open reading frame in EHV-1 strain RacH resulted in a severe growth defect of the gK-negative virus (HDeltagK) as reflected by a significant decrease in the production of infectious virus progeny on RK13 cells. The HDeltagK virus induced only minute plaques, was unable to form syncytia, and its penetration efficiency into RK13 cells was reduced by approximately 40%. To further analyze gK function and intracellular trafficking, gK of strain RacH was replaced by a C-terminally truncated gK-green fluorescent protein fusion protein (gK-GFP). The generated recombinant virus was shown to replicate well on non-complementing cells, and virus penetration and syncytium formation were comparable to parental RacH. A reduction in plaque size and slightly decreased intra- and extracellular virus titers, however, were observed. The gK-GFP fusion protein was expressed with early-late kinetics, and multiple forms of the protein exhibiting M(r)s between 50,000 and 85,000 were detected by Western blot analysis. The various gK-GFP forms were shown to be N-glycosylated, associated with membranes of the Golgi apparatus, and were incorporated into extracellular virions. Complete processing of gK-GFP was only observed within the context of viral infection. From the results, we concluded that EHV-1 gK is required for efficient virus growth in vitro and that the carboxy-terminal amino acids are not required for its function, because the gK-GFP fusion protein was able to complement for EHV-1 growth in the absence of authentic gK.

Coexpression of UL20p and gK inhibits cell-cell fusion mediated by herpes simplex virus glycoproteins gD, gH-gL, and wild-type gB or an endocytosis-defective gB mutant and downmodulates their cell surface expression

Syncytium formation in cells that express herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B (gB), gD, gH, and gL is blocked by gK (E. Avitabile, G. Lombardi, and G. Campadelli-Fiume, J. Virol. 77:6836-6844, 2003). Here, we report the results of two series of experiments. First, UL20 protein (UL20p) expression weakly inhibited cell-cell fusion. Coexpression of UL20p and gK drastically reduced fusion in a cell-line-dependent manner, with the highest inhibition in BHK cells. Singly expressed UL20p and gK localized at the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear membranes. When they were coexpressed, both proteins relocalized to the Golgi apparatus. Remarkably, in cells that coexpressed UL20p and gK, the antifusion activity correlated with a downmodulation of gD, gB, gH, and gL cell surface expression. Second, gB(Delta867) has a partial deletion in the cytoplasmic tail that removed endocytosis motifs. Whereas wild-type (wt) gB was internalized in vesicles lined with the endosomal marker Rab5, gB(delta867) was not internalized, exhibited enhanced cell surface expression, and was more efficient in mediating cell-cell fusion than wt gB. The antifusion activity of UL20p and gK was also exerted when gB(delta867) replaced wt gB in the cell fusion assay. These studies show that the gB C tail carries a functional endocytosis motif(s) and that the removal of the motif correlated with increased gB surface expression and increased fusion activity. We conclude that cell-cell fusion in wt-virus-infected cells is negatively controlled by at least two mechanisms. The novel mechanism described here involves the concerted action of UL20p and gK and correlates with a moderate but consistent reduction in the cell surface expression of the fusion glycoproteins. This mechanism is independent of the one exerted through endocytosis-mediated downmodulation of gB from the plasma membrane.

Genetic analysis of the herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 protein domains involved in cytoplasmic virion envelopment and virus-induced cell fusion

The herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 protein (UL20p) is an important determinant for cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis and virus-induced cell fusion. To delineate the functional domains of the UL20 protein, we generated a panel of single and multiple (cluster) alanine substitutions as well as UL20p carboxyl-terminal truncations. The UL20 mutant genes could be broadly categorized into four main groups: Group I UL20 mutant genes complemented for both virus production and virus-induced cell fusion; Group II UL20 mutant genes did not complement for either virus-induced cell fusion or infectious virus production; Group III UL20 mutant genes complemented for virus-induced cell fusion to variable extents but exhibited substantially decreased ability to complement UL20-null infectious virus production; Group IV mutant genes complemented for infectious virus production but had variable effects on virus-induced cell fusion; this group included two mutants that efficiently complemented for gBsyn3, but not for gKsyn1, virus-induced cell fusion. In addition, certain recombinant viruses with mutations in either the amino or carboxyl termini of UL20p produced partially syncytial plaques on Vero cells in the absence of any other virally encoded syncytial mutations. These studies indicated that the amino and carboxyl termini of UL20p contained domains that functioned both in infectious virus production and virus-induced cell fusion. Moreover, the data suggested that the UL20p's role in virus-induced cell fusion can be functionally separated from its role in cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis and that certain UL20p domains that function in gB-syn3 virus-induced cell fusion are distinct from those functioning in gKsyn1 virus-induced cell fusion.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 protein modulates membrane fusion events during cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis and virus-induced cell fusion

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) UL20 protein is an important determinant for virion morphogenesis and virus-induced cell fusion. A precise deletion of the UL20 gene in the HSV-1 KOS strain was constructed without affecting the adjacent UL20.5 gene. The resultant KOS/UL20-null virus produced small plaques of 8 to 15 cells in Vero cells while it produced wild-type plaques on the complementing cell line G5. Electron microscopic examination of infected cells revealed that the KOS/UL20-null virions predominantly accumulated capsids in the cytoplasm while a small percentage of virions were found as enveloped virions within cytoplasmic vacuoles. Recently, it was shown that UL20 expression was necessary and sufficient for cell surface expression of gK (T. P. Foster, X. Alvarez, and K. G. Kousoulas, J. Virol. 77:499-510, 2003). Therefore, we investigated the effect of UL20 on virus-induced cell fusion caused by syncytial mutations in gB and gK by constructing recombinant viruses containing the gBsyn3 or gKsyn1 mutations in a UL20-null genetic background. Both recombinant viruses failed to cause virus-induced cell fusion in Vero cells while they readily caused fusion of UL20-null complementing G5 cells. Ultrastructural examination of UL20-null viruses carrying the gBsyn3 or gKsyn1 mutation revealed a similar distribution of virions as the KOS/UL20-null virus. However, cytoplasmic vacuoles contained aberrant virions having multiple capsids within a single envelope. These multicapsid virions may have been formed either by fusion of viral envelopes or by the concurrent reenvelopment of multiple capsids. These results suggest that the UL20 protein regulates membrane fusion phenomena involved in virion morphogenesis and virus-induced cell fusion.

Binding partners for the UL11 tegument protein of herpes simplex virus type 1

The product of the U(L)11 gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a 96-amino-acid tegument protein that accumulates on the cytoplasmic face of internal membranes. Although it is thought to be important for nucleocapsid envelopment and egress, the actual function of this protein is unknown. Previous studies focused on the characterization of sequence elements within the UL11 protein that function in membrane binding and trafficking to the Golgi apparatus. Binding was found to be mediated by two fatty acyl groups (myristate and palmitate), while an acidic cluster and a dileucine motif were identified as being important for the recycling of UL11 from the plasma membrane to the Golgi apparatus. The goal of the experiments described here was to identify and characterize binding partners (viral or cellular) of UL11. Using both immunoprecipitation and glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assays, we identified a 40-kDa protein that specifically associates with UL11 from infected Vero cells. Mutational analyses revealed that the acidic cluster and the dileucine motif are required for this association, whereas the entire second half of UL11 is not. In addition, UL11 homologs from pseudorabies and Marek's disease herpesviruses were also found to be capable of binding to the 40-kDa protein from HSV-1-infected cells, suggesting that the interaction is conserved among alphaherpesviruses. Purification and analysis of the 40-kDa protein by mass spectrometry revealed that it is the product of the U(L)16 gene, a virion protein reported to be involved in nucleocapsid assembly. Cells transfected with a UL16-green fluorescent protein expression vector produced a protein that was of the expected size, could be pulled down with GST-UL11, and accumulated in a Golgi-like compartment only when coexpressed with UL11, indicating that the interaction does not require any other viral products. These data represent the first steps toward elucidating the network of tegument proteins that UL11 links to membranes.

Overexpression of gK in gK-transformed cells collapses the Golgi apparatus into the endoplasmic reticulum inhibiting virion egress, glycoprotein transport, and virus-induced cell fusion

Intracellular transport and egress of alphaherpesviruses require the coordinate function of multiple proteins and glycoproteins. Recently, we showed that gK is expressed on infected cell surfaces and that gK cell-surface expression required the presence of the UL20 protein [J. Virol. 77 (2003), 499]. Overexpression of gK by gK-transformed cells blocked transport of enveloped virions from perinuclear spaces and inhibited virus-induced cell fusion caused by gK syncytial mutants [J. Virol. 69 (1995), 5401]. Therefore, we investigated whether altered synthesis and transport of gK was responsible for the observed gK-mediated interference phenomena. HSV-1 infection of the gK-transformed cell line Vero (gK9) caused a profound entrapment of gK in the endoplasmic reticulum and total inhibition of gK cell surface expression. In addition, gK drastically inhibited intracellular transport and maturation of gD and caused substantial defects in Golgi-dependent glycosylation of gB. Visualization of intracellular organelles via confocal microscopy revealed a profound collapse of the Golgi apparatus into the endoplasmic reticulum. These results were analogous to those observed in the presence of brefeldin A, a known Golgi disruptor. Therefore, virion entrapment within perinuclear spaces and inhibition of glycoprotein transport are due to gK-mediated collapse of the Golgi apparatus.

Herpes simplex virus glycoprotein K, but not its syncytial allele, inhibits cell-cell fusion mediated by the four fusogenic glycoproteins, gD, gB, gH, and gL

A Myc epitope was inserted at residue 283 of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein K (gK), a position previously shown not to interfere with gK activity. The Myc-tagged gK localized predominantly to the endoplasmic reticulum, both in uninfected and in HSV-infected cells. gK, coexpressed with the four HSV fusogenic glycoproteins, gD, gB, gH, and gL, inhibited cell-cell fusion. The effect was partially dose dependent and was observed both in baby hamster kidney (BHK) and in Vero cells, indicating that the antifusion activity of gK may be cell line independent. The antifusion activity of gK did not require viral proteins other than the four fusogenic glycoproteins. A syncytial (syn) allele of gK (syn-gK) carrying the A40V substitution present in HSV-1(MP) did not block fusion to the extent seen with the wild-type (wt) gK, indicating that the syn mutation ablated, at least in part, the antifusogenic activity of wt gK. We conclude that gK is part of the mechanism whereby HSV negatively regulates its own fusion activity. Its effect accounts for the notion that cells infected with wt HSV do not fuse with adjacent, uninfected cells into multinucleated giant cells or syncytia. gK may also function to preclude fusion between virion envelope and the virion-encasing vesicles during virus transport to the extracellular compartment, thus preventing nucleocapsid de-envelopment in the cytoplasm.

A single amino acid substitution in the cytoplasmic tail of the glycoprotein B of herpes simplex virus 1 affects both syncytium formation and binding to intracellular heparan sulfate

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) (S) is a spontaneous syncytial mutant derived from the prototype HSV-1(F) after extensive plaque purification, and produces large syncytial plaques on Vero cells. Marker transfer experiments and DNA sequence analysis mapped the syncytial phenotype to a T-C base substitution at codon 787 of the cytoplasmic domain of mature gB, that results in Leu to Pro substitution and consequently belongs to the syn 3 locus. Both the cytoplasmic and the extracellular domains of gB are active in the fusion event since the addition of anti-gB monoclonal antibodies that recognize the extracellular domain of gB prevent HSV-1(S) induced cell fusion. Similarly, gD also participates in cell fusion since addition of anti-gD monoclonal antibodies also prevent HSV-1(S) induced cell fusion. Furthermore the glycoproteins B and D formed complexes in cells infected with mutant or wild type viruses. The amount of gB bound to total heparan sulfate is lower in the mutant than in the wild type strain. This difference becomes particularly profound when gB is associated with a portion of heparan sulfate intercalated to the membranes. The discrepancy in the binding of the mutant and wild type gB to heparan sulfate may be related to the mechanism of cell fusion induced by HSV-1(S).