Fix J, Galloux M, Blondot ML, Eléouët JF. The insertion of fluorescent proteins in a variable region of respiratory syncytial virus L polymerase results in fluorescent and functional enzymes but with reduced activities.
Open Virol J 2011;
5:103-8. [PMID:
21966341 PMCID:
PMC3178903 DOI:
10.2174/1874357901105010103]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2011] [Revised: 06/29/2011] [Accepted: 07/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Large protein L is the catalytic subunit of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex. Currently, no structural information is available for RSV L. Sequence alignments of L protein from human and bovine strains of RSV revealed the existence of two variable regions, VR1 and VR2. Following comparison with morbillivirus and rhabdovirus L genes, VR2, which is located between domains V and VI, was chosen as an insertion site for sequences encoding the epitope tag HA or the fluorescent proteins eGFP and mCherry. Recombinant tagged-L proteins co-localized with RSV N and P proteins in transfected cells. These recombinant polymerases were shown to be functional using a viral minigenome system assay, their activities being reduced by ~70% compared to the unmodified L polymerase. We have also shown by site-directed mutagenesis that the GDNQ motif (residues 810-813 for the Long strain of HRSV) is essential for L activity.
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