| Title: |
Bovine Ephemeral Fever Rhabdovirus α1 Protein Has Viroporin-Like Properties and Binds Importin β1 and Importin 7 |
| Authors: |
Joubert, D. Albert; Blasdell, Kim R.; Audsley, Michelle D.; Trinidad, Lee; Monaghan, Paul; Dave, Keyur A.; Lieu, Kim G.; Amos-Ritchie, Rachel; Jans, David A.; Moseley, Gregory W.; Gorman, Jeffrey J.; Walker, Peter J. |
| Source: |
Journal of Virology ; volume 88, issue 3, page 1591-1603 ; ISSN 0022-538X 1098-5514 |
| Publisher Information: |
American Society for Microbiology |
| Publication Year: |
2014 |
| Description: |
Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) is an arthropod-borne rhabdovirus that is classified as the type species of the genus Ephemerovirus . In addition to the five canonical rhabdovirus structural proteins (N, P, M, G, and L), the large and complex BEFV genome contains several open reading frames (ORFs) between the G and L genes (α1, α2/α3, β, and γ) encoding proteins of unknown function. We show that the 10.5-kDa BEFV α1 protein is expressed in infected cells and, consistent with previous predictions based on its structure, has the properties of a viroporin. Expression of a BEFV α1-maltose binding protein (MBP) fusion protein in Escherichia coli was observed to inhibit cell growth and increase membrane permeability to hygromycin B. Increased membrane permeability was also observed in BEFV-infected mammalian cells (but not cells infected with an α1-deficient BEFV strain) and in cells expressing a BEFV α1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein, which was shown by confocal microscopy to localize to the Golgi complex. Furthermore, the predicted C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of α1, which contains a strong nuclear localization signal (NLS), was translocated to the nucleus when expressed independently, and in an affinity chromatography assay employing a GFP trap, the full-length α1 was observed to interact specifically with importin β1 and importin 7 but not with importin α3. These data suggest that, in addition to its function as a viroporin, BEFV α1 may modulate components of nuclear trafficking pathways, but the specific role thereof remains unclear. IMPORTANCE Although rhabdovirus accessory genes occur commonly among arthropod-borne rhabdoviruses, little is known of their functions. Here, we demonstrate that the BEFV α1 ORF encodes a protein which has the structural and functional characteristics of a viroporin. We show that α1 localizes in the Golgi complex and increases cellular permeability. We also show that BEFV α1 binds importin β1 and importin 7, suggesting that it may have a yet unknown role ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1128/jvi.01812-13 |
| DOI: |
10.1128/JVI.01812-13 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.01812-13; https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/JVI.01812-13 |
| Rights: |
https://journals.asm.org/non-commercial-tdm-license |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.759BCAF6 |
| Database: |
BASE |