"gag" polyprotein precursors of Rauscher murine leukemia virus

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific to the Gag protein of porcine endogenous retrovirus and its application in detecting the virus infection

The porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) has drawn extensive attention recently, due to the widespread use of biomaterials of porcine origin in organ transplantation. This virus is present in all pig strains and has been demonstrated to be capable of infecting human cells in vitro. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a highly sensitive and specific immunoassay for clinical surveillance in patients receiving xenotransplantation. We describe here the generation of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) named A-11 specifically against the Gag protein of PERV. The mAb was found to be able to detect PERV produced from cultured cells. No cross-reaction with Gag proteins of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) and human immunodeficiency virus-1/2 was observed indicating that it is highly specific to PERV. The mAb was characterized as IgG2b subtype and kappa light chain. The region recognized by the mAb A-11 was localized to amino acid 293-336 on the Gag protein, and a synthetic peptide corresponding to amino acid 313-322 effectively competed the binding of the mAb with recombinant Gag proteins. Both immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry showed that the antibody is suitable for detection of PERV infection. By using the assays, we found that PERV-infected cells primarily of epithelial origin, with the highest infection rate in 293 followed by HEp-2 cells. In summary, the A-11 mAb will be useful for the development of quantitative and qualitative immunoassays for monitoring PERV infection in xenotransplantation patients and individuals who have close contact with pigs.

Infectivity of Moloney murine leukemia virus defective in late assembly events is restored by late assembly domains of other retroviruses

The p12 region of the Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) Gag protein contains a PPPY motif important for efficient virion assembly and release. To probe the function of the PPPY motif, a series of insertions of homologous and heterologous motifs from other retroviruses were introduced at various positions in a mutant gag gene lacking the PPPY motif. The assembly defects of the PPPY deletion mutant could be rescued by insertion of a wild-type PPPY motif and flanking sequences at several ectopic positions in the Gag protein. The late assembly domain (L-domain) of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) or human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) could also fully or partially restore M-MuLV assembly when introduced into matrix, p12, or nucleocapsid domains of the mutant M-MuLV Gag protein lacking the PPPY motif. Strikingly, mutant viruses carrying the RSV or the HIV-1 L-domain at the original location of the deleted PPPY motif were replication competent in rodent cells. These data suggest that the PPPY motif of M-MuLV acts in a partially position-independent manner and is functionally interchangeable with L-domains of other retroviruses. Electron microscopy studies revealed that deletion of the entire p12 region resulted in the formation of tube-like rather than spherical particles. Remarkably, the PPPY deletion mutant formed chain structures composed of multiple viral particles linked on the cell surface. Many of the mutants with heterologous L-domains released virions with wild-type morphology.

Identification of a cytoplasmic targeting/retention signal in a retroviral Gag polyprotein

Retroviral capsid assembly can occur by either of two distinct morphogenic processes: in type C viruses, the capsid assembles and buds at the plasma membrane, while in type B and D viruses, the capsid assembles within the cytoplasm and is then transported to the plasma membrane for budding. We have previously reported that a single-amino-acid substitution of a tryptophan for an arginine in the matrix protein (MA) of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) converts its capsid assembly from that of a type D retrovirus to that of the type C viruses (S. S. Rhee and E. Hunter, Cell 63:77-86, 1990). Here we identify a region of 18 amino acids within the MA of MPMV that is responsible for type D-specific morphogenesis. Insertion of these 18 amino acids into the MA of type C Moloney murine leukemia virus causes it to assemble an immature capsid in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, fusion of the MPMV MA to the green fluorescent protein resulted in altered intracellular targeting and a punctate accumulation of the fusion protein in the cytoplasm. These 18 amino acids, which are necessary and sufficient to target retroviral Gag polyproteins to defined sites in the cytoplasm, appear to define a novel mammalian cytoplasmic targeting/retention signal.

Identification of a new viral protein containing CAp30 and NCp10 sequences in murine and feline leukemia retroviruses

Because Pr65gag is in part located in the nucleus and contains a putative bipartite nuclear targeting signal, we investigated the cellular location and structure of P55gag, a gag-encoded polyprotein known to lack the nucleocapsid (NC) protein NCp10. P55gag was found to be restricted to the cytoplasm of Moloney murine leukemia virus-infected cells. Of interest, P55gag was produced in cells infected by a viral protease deletion mutant and by a recombinant murine sarcoma virus known to lack the protease gene. Surprisingly, our structural and immunological studies indicated that P55gag also lacks carboxy-terminal residues of CAp30. During the course of studying P55gag, we detected a new viral protein within purified virus particles that contained NCp10 tryptic peptide sequences and a CAp30 tryptic peptide lacking in P55gag. This viral protein, which we have named nucleocapsid-related protein (NCRP), also contained antigenic epitopes present in CAp30 and NCp10. P55gag- and NCRP-like proteins were also observed in AKV murine leukemia virus and feline leukemia virus systems. The precise site of cleavage within Pr65gag that produces P55gag and NCRP is unknown but lies upstream of the CAp30-NCp10 junction within the carboxy-terminal domain of CAp30. The existence of a form of NCp10 containing carboxy-terminal CAp30 sequences raises interesting possibilities about its functional role in genomic RNA packaging and/or viral RNA dimerization.

Basic amino acids flanking the zinc finger of Moloney murine leukemia virus nucleocapsid protein NCp10 are critical for virus infectivity

Nucleocapsid (NC) protein NCp10 of Moloney murine leukemia virus is encoded by the 3' domain of gag and contains a zinc finger surrounded by basic amino acids. During virion assembly, NC protein is necessary for core formation and the NC zinc finger is required for the packaging of the genomic RNA dimer. In vitro NCp10 has RNA-binding and -annealing activities critical for virus infectivity, since NCp10 promotes dimerization of viral RNA containing the Psi packaging element and annealing of replication primer tRNA(Pro) to the initiation site of reverse transcription (primer-binding site). To investigate the role of the basic amino acids flanking the NCp10 zinc finger, neutral residues were substituted for the basic amino acids and the effects of these mutations in vivo on virus assembly and infectivity and in vitro on the RNA-annealing activity of NCp10 were analyzed. Here we report that the substitution of 1 or 2 neutral amino acids for the basic residues did not impair the production of mature virions but that infectivity was either moderately or strongly attenuated. When more than 2 basic residues were replaced by neutral amino acids, viruses were poorly infectious because of a severe defect in genomic RNA dimer packaging and initiation of reverse transcription. In vitro NCp10-derived peptides with similar mutations were chemically synthesized and were found to be either fully or partially active or completely inactive. These data indicate that the basic residues flanking the zinc finger of NCp10 are required for the production of infectious Moloney murine leukemia virus virions.

Epididymis is a principal site of retrovirus expression in the mouse

High levels of retrovirus particles are present in the reproductive tract of male mice. In this report epithelial cells that line the lumen of the epididymis are shown to be a principal site of virus synthesis. Aggregates of free virus were evident in the epididymal lumen in addition to the sperm-associated virus previously reported. Large intraluminal cells with characteristics of macrophages and engorged with virus particles were also seen. Virus particles were not detected in testis, liver, brain, or spleen. Thus, the epididymal epithelium is a principal reservoir for retrovirus expression. The virus would be ejaculated as free, cell-associated, and sperm-bound particles. The high level of expression and the relative isolation of epididymal virus from the immune system may relate to venereal transmission of retrovirus infections in mice and humans.

Active human immunodeficiency virus protease is required for viral infectivity

Retroviral proteins are synthesized as polyprotein precursors that undergo proteolytic cleavages to yield the mature viral proteins. The role of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease in the viral replication cycle was examined by use of a site-directed mutation in the protease gene. The HIV protease gene product was expressed in Escherichia coli and observed to cleave HIV gag p55 to gag p24 and gag p17 in vitro. Substitution of aspartic acid residue 25 (Asp-25) of this protein with an asparagine residue did not affect the expression of the protein, but it eliminated detectable in vitro proteolytic activity against HIV gag p55. A mutant HIV provirus was constructed that contained the Asn-25 mutation within the protease gene. SW480 human colon carcinoma cells transfected with the Asn-25 mutant proviral DNA produced virions that contained gag p55 but not gag p24, whereas virions from cells transfected with the wild-type DNA contained both gag p55 and gag p24. The mutant virions were not able to infect MT-4 lymphoid cells. In contrast, these cells were highly sensitive to infection by the wild-type virions. These results demonstrate that the HIV protease is an essential viral enzyme and, consequently, an attractive target for anti-HIV drugs.

Expression of the gag-pol fusion protein of Moloney murine leukemia virus without gag protein does not induce virion formation or proteolytic processing

A mutant of Moloney murine leukemia virus was generated in which the UAG termination codon at the 3' end of the gag gene was changed to a CAG codon encoding glutamine. Cells carrying the mutant provirus constitutively express the gag-pol fusion protein and no detectable gag protein. The precursor is stable, is not processed by the protease domain within the precursor, and does not induce assembly and release of virion particles.

An overview of retrovirus replication and classification

This introductory chapter has presented an overview of how retroviruses replicate and how they are classified within the family Retroviridae. The genomic structure of retroviruses, so reminiscent of bacterial transposons and other similar genetic elements, and reverse transcriptase, which leads to the reverse flow of genetic information from RNA to DNA, are responsible for many of the properties of these viruses which make them both fascinating and important as causes of cancer and other diseases. The requirement for integration shared by most retroviruses leads directly to most of the phenomena resulting from their interaction with target cells. Certainly latency, at the level of the organism, is one such property relevant to how we think of vaccines and therapeutic reagents. The ability of retroviruses to acquire oncogenes from cellular DNA has greatly facilitated our understanding of the genetics of neoplasia. Additionally, the use of retroviral vectors to introduce new genes into genetically defective animals is a consequence of the genetic organization of retroviruses. Classification of viruses at the species level is difficult for several reasons. In particular, viruses do not sexually reproduce in any conventional sense, and it is difficult to identify a population of virions which make up a genetically distinct pool. Thus, the definition of individual species is often controversial and is not necessarily aided by the criteria used to define larger phylogenetic groups. In the latter case, retroviruses have distinctive morphological and biochemical features which allow their classification at the family, subfamily, genus, and subgenus levels. Additional classification occurs by accounting for factors such as host range, cross neutralization, ability to compete in interspecies radioimmunoassays, and genetic homology detected by hybridization under conditions of relaxed stringency. Direct comparison of nucleotide sequences offers the hope that mathematical criteria will be developed that can define the level of differences characteristic of individual species, genuses, and subfamilies.

Antigenic differences among multiply charged Moloney murine leukemia virus p30 polypeptides found inside infected cells

At least three Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) p30 polypeptides (p30's), viz., a major species at pI 6.3 and two minor ones at pI 6.1 and pI 6.6, have previously been identified in purified virions by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and chromatofocusing (Katoh, I., Yoshinaka, Y. and Luftig, R.B. (1984) J. Gen. Virol. 65, 733-741). We have observed a similar, but distinctive pI pattern for [35S]methionine-labeled MuLV p30's in lysates from chronically infected (MuLV) cells. The variation in pI pattern of the intracellular MuLV p30's was dependent on the type of p30 reactive antibody used for immunoprecipitation. Specifically: a p30 spot with pI 6.3 was always precipitated as the major spot with three different antibodies, minor spots with pI 6.0 and 6.6 were variably seen dependent on the antibody used, and an intracellular p30 spot at pI 6.1 was only precipitated with a rat p30 monoclonal antibody but not with monospecific mouse or intact MuLV cross-reacting p30 sera. These results indicate that first, there are differences between the pI pattern of virion and intracellular MuLV p30's, and second, the antigenic determinants of intracellular p30's vary dependent on the antibody used for immunoprecipitation.

Analysis of retroviral pol gene products with antisera raised against fusion proteins produced in Escherichia coli

Portions of the pol gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) were expressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, and the purified proteins were used to elicit antibodies in Escherichia coli, and the purified proteins were used to elicit antibodies in rabbits. The sera were used to examine the mature pol gene products contained in virion particles and identified the reverse transcriptase and a second protein, P46pol, encoded by the 3' portion of the gene. The P46 protein was not phosphorylated and was present at the same molar abundance as the reverse transcriptase. The sera were also used to detect the Pr200gag-pol intracellular precursor protein and to analyze its processing to the mature forms. The proteins formed by several Moloney MuLV mutants were analyzed. Further tests revealed cross-reactivity with Friend MuLV and feline leukemia virus proteins, but not with avian retrovirus proteins.

Monoclonal antibody to the amino-terminal L sequence of murine leukemia virus glycosylated gag polyproteins demonstrates their unusual orientation in the cell membrane

To analyze cell surface murine leukemia virus gag protein expression, we have prepared monoclonal antibodies against the spontaneous AKR T lymphoma KKT-2. One of these antibodies, 43-13, detects an AKR-specific viral p12 determinant. A second monoclonal antibody, 43-17, detects a novel murine leukemia virus-related antigen found on glycosylated gag polyproteins (gp95gag, gp85gag, and gp55gag) on the surface of cells infected with and producing ecotropic endogenous viruses, but does not detect antigens within these virions. The 43-17 antibody immunoprecipitates the precursor of the cell surface gag protein whether in its glycosylated or unglycosylated state, but does not detect the cytoplasmic precursor of the virion gag proteins (Pr65gag). Based on these findings, we have localized the 43-17 determinant to the unique amino-terminal part of the glycosylated gag polyprotein (the L domain). We have determined that gp95gag contains L-p15-p12-p30-p10 determinants, whereas gp85gag lacks the carboxyterminal p10 determinant, and gp55gag lacks both p30 and p10 carboxy terminal determinants. Analysis of cell surface gag expression with the 43-17 antibody leads us to propose that the L domain plays a crucial role in (i) the insertion and orientation of murine leukemia virus gag polyproteins in the cell membrane and (ii) the relative abundance of expression of AKR leukemia virus versus Moloney murine leukemia virus glycosylated gag polyproteins in infected cells.

The pathophysiology of murine retrovirus-induced leukemias

Murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) are retroviruses which induce a broad spectrum of hematopoietic malignancies. In contrast to the acutely transforming retroviruses, MuLVs do not contain transduced cellular genes, or oncogenes. Nonetheless, MuLVs can cause leukemias quickly (4 to 6 weeks) and efficiently (up to 100% incidence) in susceptible strains of mice. The molecular basis of MuLV-induced leukemia is not clear. However, the contribution of individual viral genes to leukemogenesis can be assayed by creating novel viruses in vitro using recombinant DNA techniques. These genetically engineered viruses are tested in vivo for their ability to cause leukemia. Leukemogenic MuLVs possess genetic sequences which are not found in nonleukemogenic viruses. These sequences control the histologic type, incidence, and latency of disease induced by individual MuL Vs.

Maturation of murine leukemia virus env proteins in the absence of other viral proteins

A mutant of Akv which produces env but no detectable gag or pol products (A. Rein, D. R. Lowy, B. I. Gerwin, S. K. Ruscetti, and R. H. Bassin, J. Virol. 41, 626-634 (1982] was examined for maturation of env gene protein products. In comparison with wild-type Akv, the mutant AK 71 synthesizes gPr85env and produces gp70 and Prp15E in normal amounts and with normal kinetics. Cell surface gp70 was found alike in the mutant and wild type. However, cleavage of Pr15E to p15E did not occur in the mutant. This final cleavage step of AK 71 Prp15E could be made to occur by superinfecting cells containing the mutant with baboon endogenous virus. Thus, unlike earlier steps, this final step in maturation of the env gene product appears to require gag or pol gene products. It is proposed that the virus-encoded protease is required for this last step.

A deletion mutation in the 5' part of the pol gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus blocks proteolytic processing of the gag and pol polyproteins

Deletion mutations in the 5' part of the pol gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus were generated by restriction enzyme site-directed mutagenesis of cloned proviral DNA. DNA sequence analysis indicated that one such deletion was localized entirely within the 5' part of the pol gene, did not affect the region encoding reverse transcriptase, and preserved the translational reading frame downstream of the mutation. The major viral precursor polyproteins (Pr65gag, Pr200gag-pol, and gPr80env) were synthesized at wild-type levels in cell lines carrying the mutant genome. These cell lines assembled and released wild-type levels of virion particles into the medium. Cleavage of both Pr65gag and Pr200gag-pol precursors to the mature proteins was completely blocked in the mutant virions. Surprisingly, these virions contained high levels of active reverse transcriptase; examination of the endogenous reverse transcription products synthesized by the mutant virions revealed normal amounts of minus-strand strong-stop DNA, indicating that the RNA genome was packaged and that reverse transcription in detergent-permeabilized virions was not significantly impaired. Processing of gPr80env to gP70env and P15E was not affected by the mutation, but cleavage of P15E to P12E was not observed. The mutant particles were poorly infectious; analysis indicated that infection was blocked at an early stage. The data are consistent with the idea that the 5' part of the pol gene encodes a protease directly responsible for processing Pr65gag, and possibly Pr200gag-pol, to the structural virion proteins. It appears that cleavage of the gag gene product is not required for budding and release of virions and that complete processing of the pol gene product to the mature form of reverse transcriptase is not required for its functional activation.

Inhibition of the synthesis of Moloney leukemia virus structural proteins by N-methylisatin-beta-4',4'-diethylthiosemicarbazone

The mechanism of inhibition of Moloney leukemia virus by N-methylisatin-beta-4',4'-diethylthiosemicarbazone was studied. Experiments that used [3H]leucine for short-pulse labeling in the presence of the drug resulted in a 71% inhibition in the synthesis of Pr-80, the polypeptide precursor of the gag viral proteins. The radioactive pulse products of the polypeptide precursors after a further 2-h chase period showed a normal cleavage of the precursors, with the formation of a reduced amount of final mature viral structural proteins. The experimental evidence indicated that at the inhibitory concentration of 17 microM N-methylisatin-beta-4',4'-diethylthiosemicarbazone, the amount of intracellular viral RNA was not affected, whereas the activities of reverse transcriptase and the other viral protein syntheses were suppressed.

Mutations in gag proteins P12 and P15 of Moloney murine leukemia virus block early stages of infection

A collection of mutants of Moloney murine leukemia virus with deletions in the gag gene was generated by restriction enzyme site-directed mutagenesis of a cloned proviral DNA. The mutants all contained deletions of the NarI site in the P12 region, and some contained deletions extending into the adjacent P15 region. The deletions did not significantly affect the assembly or release of viral particles. Examination of endogenous reverse transcription products demonstrated normal synthesis of minus- and plus-strand strong-stop DNAs, indicating that the RNA genome was packaged and that reverse transcription in detergent-permeabilized virions was not impaired. The virion particles contained high levels of an abnormal protein which corresponded to a P15-P12 fusion protein; proteolytic processing of this abnormal protein was completely blocked by all the mutations. The infectivity of the particles was dramatically reduced. Analysis of the low-molecular-weight DNA in infected NIH/3T3 cells indicated that the mutant virions could not carry out viral DNA synthesis. These data suggest that the P12 and P15 proteins may not be critical for virion assembly but do play an important role in early steps of viral infection.

Cytoskeleton-associated Pr65gag and retrovirus assembly

Our studies have shown a rapid and specific association of Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV) precursor polyprotein Pr65gag with cytoskeletal elements in infected mouse fibroblasts. The Pr65gag associated with Nonidet P-40 (NP-40)-insoluble cytoskeletal structures appears to be subphosphorylated in comparison to NP-40-soluble Pr65gag. The association of Pr65gag with skeletal elements can be disrupted by extraction of the cytoskeleton with sodium deoxycholate, an ionic detergent, or with buffers of high ionic strength. Both the skeleton-associated Pr65gag and its NP-40-soluble counterpart can be labeled with [3H]palmitate, indicating their probable association with lipids presumably in the plasma membrane. Pr65gag molecules bound to skeletal elements in the infected cell appear to be more stable to proteolytic processing than NP-40-soluble Pr65gag. While the association of Pr65gag with cytoskeleton elements in the cell is neither increased nor decreased by blocking virus assembly and release with interferon, Pr65gag appears to accumulate in the cytoskeleton-enriched fraction of cells chronically infected with a temperature sensitive mutant of R-MuLV (ts 17) when such cells are grown at the nonpermissive temperature. Based on these and other results, we have proposed a model for the active role of cytoskeleton associated Pr65gag in retrovirus assembly.

Construction and characterization of Moloney murine leukemia virus mutants unable to synthesize glycosylated gag polyprotein

Murine leukemia virus (MuLV) encodes two independent pathways for expression of the gag gene. One pathway results in processing and cleavage of the precursor Pr65gag to yield the internal capsid proteins of the virion and is analogous to gag polyprotein precursors for all classes of retroviruses. The other pathway, which is not encoded by several other classes of retroviruses, begins with a glycosylated polyprotein gPr80gag . gPr80gag is synthesized independently of Pr65gag; it contains Pr65gag peptides and additional amino-terminal protein. It is modified by further addition of carbohydrate, exported to the cell surface, and released from the cell but does not appear in virus particles. To investigate the role of glycosylated gag in MuLV infection, two mutants of Moloney MuLV (M-MuLV) deficient for synthesis of gPr80gag but able to synthesize Pr65gag were constructed. The mutants were obtained by substitution into a molecular clone of M-MuLV DNA by DNA from two acutely transforming viruses, Ableson MuLV (Ab-MuLV) and Moloney murine sarcoma virus (M-MSV). Both Ab-MuLV and M-MSV are derived from M-MuLV and they express M-MuLV gag sequences, but some strains do not synthesize glycosylated gag protein. For Ab-MuLV, a 177-base-pair Pst I fragment from the P90 strain containing the initiation codon for Pr65gag was substituted for the equivalent fragment in M-MuLV DNA. For M-MSV, 1.5 kilobases at the 5' end of the genome was substituted. Transfection of the recombined DNAs onto NIH-3T3 cells produced infectious M-MuLV, although the infected cells did not produce gPr80gag. Therefore glycosylated gag is not absolutely required for MuLV replication. Deletion of the glycosylated gag pathway did not significantly reduce the level of virus production, although a minor difference in XC plaque morphology was observed.

In vivo modification of retroviral gag gene-encoded polyproteins by myristic acid

It has recently been shown by mass spectral analysis (Henderson et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:339-343, 1983) that the p15gag protein of murine leukemia viruses contains a novel post-translational modification, an amino-terminal myristyl (tetradecanoyl) amide. In this report we show that p15gag is the only structural protein to contain this fatty acid. In addition, the gag precursor polyproteins of type B, C, and D retroviruses have been examined for the presence of myristic acid by metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation studies. In a panel of mammalian type C retroviruses we found that the precursor polyprotein Pr65gag homologs, but not the glycosylated forms (gPr80gag homologs), were specifically labeled after a 5-min incubation of infected cells with [3H]myristic acid. The gag precursor polyprotein was also labeled in mouse mammary tumor virus and in Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, but Pr76gag of Rous sarcoma virus failed to incorporate [3H]myristate. Under similar conditions, [3H]palmitate was not found to be incorporated into any viral gag proteins. Thus, myristylation appears to be a common feature of mammalian type B, C, and D retroviruses but not of avian retroviruses.

Gag-mos Polyproteins encoded by variants of the Moloney strain of mouse sarcoma virus

Two revertants of ts110 Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MuSV) with wild-type MuSV phenotype were examined for the presence of mos gene products, ts110 MuSV has a temperature-sensitive defect in a function required to maintain the transformed phenotype. The nonproducer 6m2 cell clone transformed by ts110 produces an 85,000-Da gag-mos protein (P85gag-mos) and a 58,000-Da gag protein (P58gag). A spontaneous revertant (clone 54-5A4) of the 6m2 cell clone produces a 100,000-Da protein (P100) recognized by antisera raised against murine leukemia virus p15, p12, and p30 but lacks determinants of p10, reverse transcriptase, and gp70. P100 was specifically recognized by antisera (anti-C3) prepared against a synthetic peptide representing the predicted C-terminal 12 amino acids of Moloney MuSV v-mos gene. Normal sera or anti-C3 blocked with excess synthetic peptide did not recognize P100. Thus, P100 is a product of the gag and mos genes. P100 was found to be phosphorylated. A second wild-type revertant (clone 204-3) was obtained by superinfection of ts110 nonproducer cells with Simian sarcoma associated virus (SSAV); it was also found to contain a phosphorylated P100gag-mos protein. The 204-3 cell clone also contained two gag polyproteins (Pr60gag and Pr55gag) of the size and antigenic properties of those found in SSAV-infected cells. These results provide two examples of P100 gag-mos proteins both derived from the P85gag-mos producing 6m2 cell clone. The P100 gag-mos polyproteins are made in amounts that are easily detected by radiolabeling experiments using [3H]leucine. The intracellular viral RNAs present in 6m2 cells and the two revertant clones were also examined. All three cell clones contained a 4.0 kb RNA hybridizing to v-mos sequences but only the 6m2 clone contained a 3.5 kb mos-containing RNA. Our findings indicate that the 3.5 kb RNA codes for P85gag-mos in cell-free translation experiments (Junghans et al., 1982, J. Mol. Biol. 161, 229). These findings as they relate to the mechanism that produces P100gag-mos instead of P85gag-mos are discussed.

Biological, chemical, and immunological studies of Rauscher ecotropic and mink cell focus-forming viruses from JLS-V9 cells

Two murine leukemia viruses were isolated from JLS-V9 cells which had been infected with Rauscher plasma virus. One virus was XC positive and failed to grow on mink or cat cells and thus was an ecotropic virus. The other virus formed cytopathic foci on mink cells, was XC negative, and fell into the mink cell focus-forming (MCF) viral interference group and was thus an MCF virus. The glycoproteins of the two viruses could be distinguished immunologically, by peptide mapping, and by size in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The MCF virus produced gp69, and the ecotropic virus produced gp71, explaining the origin of the heterogeneous glycoprotein (gp69 and gp71) of Rauscher leukemia virus. Amino-terminal sequences of gp69 and gp71 were determined. The MCF sequence was distinct from the ecotropic sequence, but retained partial homology to it. The data show that the glycoproteins are encoded by related yet distinct genes. The protein structural data support the proposal that MCF virus gp70 molecules have nonecotropic sequences at the amino terminus, with ecotropic sequences occurring at the 3' end of the gene. The Rauscher MCF virus glycoprotein lacks a glycosylation site found at position 12 of the ecotropic sequence.

Further studies on the glycosylated gag gene products of Rauscher murine leukemia virus: identification of an N-terminal 45,000-dalton cleavage product

A glycosylated 45,000-Mr protein containing Rauscher murine leukemia virus p15 and p12 antigenic sites and tryptic peptides was identified in Rauscher murine leukemia virus-infected cells. This glycoprotein, termed gP45gag, was also shown to contain a single tryptic peptide also present in gPr80gag and its unglycosylated apoprotein precursor Pr75gag, but lacking in Pr65gag or Pr40gag. The presence of this peptide only in viral precursor proteins containing the so-called leader (L) sequence strongly suggests that gPr45gag is an N-terminal fragment of larger glycosylated gag polyproteins, composed of L sequences in addition to p15 and p12. The kinetics of appearance of radiolabeled gPr45gag and its disappearance during chase-incubation is suggestive of a precursor-like role for this intermediate gene product. An observed 27,000-Mr glycosylated polypeptide, termed gP27gag and containing p15 but not p12, p30, or p10 antigenic determinants, is a candidate cleavage product derived from gPr45gag. These observations suggest that gPr45gag and its putative cleavage product gP27gag represent an authentic pathway for intracellular processing of glycosylated core proteins.

Antiretroviral effect of interferon: proposed mechanism

Interferon (IFN) treatment of NIH Swiss mouse embryo cells chronically infected with Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV) drastically reduced the release of virus particles from the cells. The characterization of intracellular and extracellular viral specific proteins and polyproteins immunologically with various antisera, and structurally by tryptic digest mapping experiments, indicated that the antiretroviral action of IFN was not due to an IFN-induced alteration in the synthesis of any viral protein. Steady state labeling experiments, however, showed that the processing of three viral specific precursor polyproteins, namely gPr90env, Pr40gag, and Pr25gag, were perceptively slowed in IFN-treated cells. This effect was apparently not related to the ability of these proteins to be modified by phosphorylation or glycosylation after translation since these processes occurred normally in the IFN-treated cells. The treatment of cells with IFN also caused the accumulation of a small amount of a fucosylated viral glycoprotein precursor, termed gP93env, in virus. With the exception of this minor protein, virus released from IFN-treated cells were normal in their content of viral proteins. These virus particles were only slightly less infectious, particle for particle, than virus released from control cultures. Based on these results, we suggest that IFN causes an as yet unelucidated alteration in cell membrane structure of function, or both, which prevents either the insertion of viral core precursor molecules into membrane or the recruitment or clustering of such viral polyproteins into virus assembly centers in the membrane. This suggested mechanism of IFN action is discussed in detail.

Structure of glycosylated and unglycosylated gag polyproteins of Rauscher murine leukemia virus: carbohydrate attachment sites

The structural relationships among the gag polyproteins Pr65gag, Pr75gag, and gPr80gag of Rauscher murine leukemia virus were studied by endoglycosidase H digestion and formic acid cleavage. Fragments were identified by precipitation with specific antisera to constituent virion structural proteins followed by one-dimensional mapping. Endoglycosidase H reduced the size of gPr80gag to that of Pr75gag. By comparing fragments of gPr80gag and the apoprotein Pr75gag, the former was shown to contain two mannose-rich oligosaccharide units. By comparing fragments of Pr65gag and Pr75gag, the latter was shown to differ from Pr65gag at the amino terminus by the presence of a leader peptide approximately 7,000 daltons in size. The internal and carboxyl-terminal peptides of the two unglycosylated polyproteins were not detectably different. The location of the two N-linked carbohydrate chains in gPr80gag has been specified. One occurs in the carboxyl-terminal half of the polyprotein at asparagine177 of the p30 sequence and the other is found in a 23,000-dalton fragment located in the amino-terminal region of gPr80gag and containing the additional amino acid sequences not found in Pr65gag plus a substantial portion of p15.

Comparative analysis: intracellular precursor polyproteins of baboon endogenous retroviruses and human viral isolate HL23V

Intracellular precursor polyproteins of three baboon endogenous retrovirus (BaEV) isolates, m7, 455K, and BILN, were compared with the intracellular proteins of the type C human isolated HL23V by radioimmunoprecipitation, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and tryptic peptide analysis. Human and canine cells infected with m7-BaEV and canine thymus cells infected with BILN-BaEV were characterized by identical precursor polyproteins Pr85gag, Pr70-71gag, Pr65gag, and gPr85env. Canine cells infected with 455K-BaEV consistently showed a slightly different pattern of precursor polyproteins. These included Pr85gag, Pr70gag, Pr67gag, and gPR85env. By tryptic digest mapping of peptides containing [3H]leucine, m7-BaEV and 455K-BaEV were shown to be highly related. By comparison, mapping studies showed that BILN-BaEV was less highly related to m7-BaEV than ws 455K-BaEV. Differences in these related BaEV isolates presumably reflected virus-specific differential cleavage of core protein precursors or alterations in polyprotein primary structure or both. Chase-incubated cells infected with BaEV also contained a stable, p28-related polyprotein termed P72gag. This polyprotein migrated upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis slightly slower than the major core protein precursor Pr70-71gag and appeared to arise by posttranslational modification of Pr70-71gag. Immunoprecipitation of extracts of HL23V-infected cells with antisera to simian sarcoma-simian-associated virus proteins and BaEV proteins confirmed that these cells contained two unrelated viral components, one that was similar to m7-BaEV or BILN-BaEV and a second that was related to simian sarcoma-simian-associated virus. Tryptic digest mapping of BaEV and HL23V prcursor polyproteins suggested that the BaEV-like component of HL23V weas more closely related to m7-BaEV than to 455K-BaEV or BILN-BaEV.

Malignancies of metastatic murine lymphosarcoma cell lines and clones correlate with decreased cell surface display of RNA tumor virus envelope glycoprotein gp70

Variant sublines of the murine lymphosarcoma RAW117 have been derived by sequential cycles of intravenous inoculation of cells and harvesting of solid liver tumors in syngeneic BALB/c mice [Brunson K. W. & Nicolson, G. L. (1978) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 61, 1499-1503] and also by sequential removal of lectin-reactive cells via repeated adsorption on immobilized-lectins [Reading, C. L. Belloni, P. N. & Nicolson, G. L. (1980) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 64, 1241-1249]. These cell sublines and their clones were analyzed for abilities to form gross liver tumor metastases after injection intravenously or subcutaneously into syngeneic mice, and this response was related to certain cell surface properties including quantities of viral antigens and lectin-binding sites, exposure of specific cell surface proteins, and quantities of cell surface glycoproteins visualized in gels with 125I-labeled lectins or antibodies. Consistent differences were obtained between RAW117 sublines of low and high malignancy with respect to the amounts or exposures of cell surface glycoprotein components of Mr approximately 70,000 or 69,000 and 71,000, depending on the gel system. Competition radioimmunoassays for RNA tumor virus antigens in the RAW117 lines and clones indicated the presence of Moloney murine leukemic virus antigens gp70, p30, and p12. Enhanced malignancy and metastasis to liver was accompanied by decreases in the cellular contents of viral antigens and loss of gp70 cell surface exposure. Analysis of several clones obtained from sublines selected in vivo and in vitro for high or low malignancy confirmed the inverse relationship between metastasis and expression of gp70 in this system.

Characterization of viral polyproteins in cells transformed and producing Moloney murine sarcoma virus-124

The viral proteins of Moloney murine sarcoma virus-transformed mouse cells (G8-124), that overproduce the sarcoma virus relative to helper leukemia virus, were examined by immunoprecipitation, sizing by gel electrophoresis and peptide mapping. Using antisera to the viral core proteins, a p10-deficient core polyprotein of 63 000 daltons (P63gag) was detected which was found to be a product of the MuSV-124 genome. Helper virus proteins Pr67gag, gPr85gag, Pr200gag-pol, and gPr83env were also detected and characterized. An unusual helper virus precursor polyprotein of 93 000 daltons was also detected and characterized. It was labeled with [3H]fucose, suggesting that it was an intermediate precursor containing gp70 on which further modification of the core oligosaccharide had occurred relative to gPr83env. The usual viral proteins were also found in sarcoma virus particles and they were undistinguishable in size from those of Moloney murine leukemia virus (cl-1 strain). These experiments together with pulse-labeling experiments performed in the presence of the arginine analog canavanine, which prevents proteolytic cleavage, suggest that the product derived from the Mo-MuSV-specific sequences must be expressed as a separate gene product since we were unable to detect in transformed cells a polyprotein containing both viral (e.g., 'gag', 'pol' or 'env') and non-viral components. Cell-free protein synthesis studies performed with Mo-MuSV-124 genomic RNA have confirmed this interpretation and have identified three size classes of polypeptides as translation products of the sarcoma virus genome. They are P63gag, P42-P38 and P23. Intracellular p63gag and cell-free synthesized P63gag, appear to have identical sizes, antigenic determinants and tryptic peptides. The P42-P38 proteins contain core protein determinants. P23 is not related to the products of the replication genes of MuLV. Thus, P23 is a candidate for the 'src' gene product of Mo-MuSV-124.

Effect of canavanine on murine retrovirus polypeptide formation

Canavanine is an arginine analog which is widely used to inhibit proteolytic processing of viral polyproteins. Certain results obtained with canavanine have suggested that it may have other effects. Therefore, we examined the effects of canavanine on the cell-free synthesis of murine retrovirus proteins. It was found that the electrophoretic mobility of the major gag-related cell-free product of both Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV) and Moloney murine sarcoma virus 124 (Mo-MuSV-124) RNA was dependent on the concentration of canavanine used during translation. As the canavanine concentration was increased up to 4 mM, the apparent size of the major gag-related polypeptide also increased from 65,000 (R-MuLV RNA) or 63,000 (Mo-MuSV-124 RNA) to approximately 80,000 daltons. Additional increases in the canavanine concentration up to 12 mM did not increase the size of the gag gene product beyond 80,000 daltons. This change in electrophoretic mobility appeared to be due to a substitution of canavanine for arginine residues in the polypeptides, not to a change in their actual size. If amber suppressor tRNA and canavanine were used together during translation of Mo-MuSV-124 RNA and Mo-MuLV RNA, the results were also in agreement with this proposal. Translation experiments done with ovalbumin mRNA and mengovirus 35S RNA indicated that canavanine incorporation caused a shift in the electrophoretic mobility of ovalbumin from 43,000 to 45,000 daltons and caused the appearance of two slightly larger polypeptides in the 155,000- and 115,000- dalton regions of the mengovirus RNA cell-free product.

Tryptic peptide analyses of polypeptides generated by premature termination of cell-free protein synthesis allow a determination of the Rauscher leukemia virus gag gene order

Translation of Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV) 35S RNA in an mRNA-dependent cell-free protein-synthesizing system yields polypeptides identical to authentic Pr65gag, the R-MuLV gag precursor, and Pr200gag-pol, the precursor to the R-MuLV reverse transcriptase. In addition to these polypeptides, the cell-free product contains a family of polypeptides of less than 65,000 molecular weight which appear to be generated by premature termination of protein synthesis within the viral gag gene. We compared the tryptic maps of several of these less than 65,000-molecular-weight premature termination polypeptides with that of full-size Pr65gag and found a progressive loss of tryptic peptides which could be assigned to known R-MuLV gag proteins. A 40,000-molecular-weight fragment, P40gag, lacked p10 and part of p30, placing p10 at the C terminus pf Pr65gag and p30 ajacent to it. Fragments of 33,000 (P33gag) and 27,000 to 28,000 (P27/28gag) molecular weight showed a successive loss of additional p30 tryptic peptides, but no loss of either p15 or p12. An 18,000-molecular-weight fragment lost p12 but retained p15. These data suggest an R-MuLV gag gene order of NH2-p15-p12-p30-p10-COOH.

Assembly of type C oncornaviruses: a model

The salient features of this model for oncornavirus assembly are that uncleaved precursor molecules to the internal virus polypeptides possess specific recognition sites both for viral envelope constituents already inserted in the cell membrane and for the viral RNA. After orderly alignment of these components at the budding site, virus maturation proceeds through specific proteolytic cleavage of the precursor components and association of the resultant molecules into the characteristic type C virion substructures revealed by electron microscopy.