Structural components of the arenavirus Pichinde

Isolation and partial characterization of a novel virus from different carp species suffering gill necrosis - ultrastructure and morphogenesis

Two isolates of a novel enveloped RNA virus were obtained from carp and koi carp with gill necrosis. Both isolates behaved identically and could be propagated in different cyprinid cell lines forming large syncytia. The virus was sensitive to lipid solvents and neither exhibited haemadsorption/haemagglutination nor reverse transcriptase activity. Mature virus particles displayed a spherical shape with diameter of 100-350 nm after negative staining and 100-300 nm in ultrathin sections, covered by short projections of 8-10 nm in length. Maturation of virus progeny was shown to occur by budding and envelopment of the filamentous helical nucleocapsids at the cell surface. A detailed comparison of ultrastructure and morphogenesis of the novel virus isolates with selected arena-, ortho- and paramyxoviruses as possible candidates for evaluation of taxonomic classification yielded no consistency in all phenotypic features. Thus, on the basis of ultrastructure the novel virus isolates could not be assigned unequivocally to any established virus family.

Arenavirus Z protein controls viral RNA synthesis by locking a polymerase-promoter complex

Arenaviruses form a noncytolytic infection in their rodent hosts, yet can elicit severe hemorrhagic disease in humans. How arenaviruses regulate gene expression remains unclear, and further understanding may provide insight into the dichotomy of these disparate infection processes. Here we reconstitute arenavirus RNA synthesis initiation and gene expression regulation in vitro using purified components and demonstrate a direct role of the viral Z protein in controlling RNA synthesis. Our data reveal that Z forms a species-specific complex with the viral polymerase (L) and inhibits RNA synthesis initiation by impairing L catalytic activity. This Z-L complex locks the viral polymerase in a promoter-bound, catalytically inactive state and may additionally ensure polymerase packaging during virion maturation. Z modulates host factors involved in cellular translation, proliferation, and antiviral signaling. Our data defines an additional role in governing viral RNA synthesis, revealing Z as the center of a network of host and viral connections that regulates viral gene expression.

Junín virus. A XXI century update

Junín virus of the Arenaviridae family is the etiological agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, a febrile syndrome causing hematological and neurological symptoms. We review historical perspectives of current knowledge on the disease, and update information related to the virion and its potential pathogenic mechanisms.

Membrane Glycoproteins of Enveloped Viruses

This chapter focuses on the recent information of the glycoprotein components of enveloped viruses and points out specific findings on viral envelopes. Although enveloped viruses of different major groups vary in size and shape, as well as in the molecular weight of their structural polypeptides, there are general similarities in the types of polypeptide components present in virions. The types of structural components found in viral membranes are summarized briefly in the chapter. All the enveloped viruses studied to date possess one or more glycoprotein species and lipid as a major structural component. The presence of carbohydrate covalently linked to proteins is demonstrated by the incorporation of a radioactive precursor, such as glucosamine or fucose, into viral polypeptides, which is resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Enveloped viruses share many common features in the organization of their structural components, as indicated by several approaches, including electron microscopy, surface-labeling, and proteolytic digestion experiments, and the isolation of subviral components. The chapter summarizes the detailed structure of the glycoproteins of four virus groups: (1) influenza virus glycoproteins, (2) rhabdovirus G protein, (3) togavirus glycoprotein, and (4) paramyxovirus glycoproteins The information obtained includes the size and shape of viral glycoproteins, the number of polypeptide chains in the complete glycoprotein structure, and compositional data on the polypeptide and oligosaccharide portions of the molecules.

Presentation of endogenous viral proteins in association with major histocompatibility complex class II: on the role of intracellular compartmentalization, invariant chain and the TAP transporter system

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-associated antigen presentation is mainly linked to processing of exogenous antigens upon cellular uptake by endocytosis, but has also been observed for endogenously synthesized antigens. We have studied the MHC class II-associated presentation of the endogenously synthesized membrane associated glycoprotein (GP) and the cytosolic nucleoprotein (NP) of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) in professional antigen presenting cells (APC) of mice. Since LCMV is a noncytopathic virus and minimally affects cellular protein synthesis, it is a convenient virus for the study of antigen presentation. In contrast, most other studies assessing class II-associated presentation of endogeneously synthesized viral antigens used cytolytic viruses such as vaccinia, measles and influenza virus, which drastically interfere with host cell functions. In addition, most studies were performed using non-professional APC. We found that class II-associated presentation of endogenously synthesized membrane associated LCMV-GP was efficient and could not be inhibited by chloroquine or leupeptin. Neither the transporter associated with processing (TAP) system nor the invariant chain (Ii) were significantly involved in this process. In contrast, MHC class II-associated presentation of endogenously synthesized cytosolic LCMV-NP was not observed even in Ii-deficient APC. Thus, MHC class II loading of endogenously synthesized LCMV-GP apparently does not require processing in acidic endosomal compartments as defined by chloroquine and leupeptin insensitivity. Furthermore, although the TAP molecules transport peptides of up to 15 amino acids in length, which potentially could bind to MHC class II molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum, such a process apparently does not occur for either the glycoprotein or the nucleoprotein. Therefore, the subcellular localization of an endogenously synthesized protein influences crucially whether or not MHC class II loading can occur independently of the acidic compartments usually involved in MHC class II loading.

Biochemical and immunological evidence that the 11 kDa zinc-binding protein of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is a structural component of the virus

The completed sequence of the arenavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, revealed a new gene encoding a small protein with a single zinc-binding domain. The cDNA for this gene has been expressed in E. coli to produce fusion protein that has been used to raise antisera. The antisera facilitated the positive identification of the p11 'Z' gene product as a structural component of the virion. A related arenavirus, Tacaribe, has a comparable p11 gene product. The abundance of the p11 Z protein relative to other virion components has been determined by metabolic labeling. Triton X-114 extraction and dimethyl suberimidate-HCl crosslinking indicate that the p11 Z protein is a hydrophobic protein associated with the nucleocapsid of the virion core.

Protein-protein interactions in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

The structural organization of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) particle has been examined by Triton X-114 phase separation and nearest neighbor analyses in order to define protein-protein interactions in the virion. Extraction with Triton X-114 established that the 44-kDa membrane glycoprotein, GP-1, is a peripheral protein and that the 35-kDa glycoprotein, GP-2, is an integral membrane protein. Membrane permeable and membrane impermeable crosslinking reagents were used to establish the structural organization of the virion. Results obtained with both types of crosslinking reagents demonstrated that both GP-1 and GP-2 were assembled as native homotetramers. No covalent or disulfide linkages were found between GP-1 and GP-2, nor were these glycoproteins crosslinked. Protein complexes composed of GP-2 and NP were observed after treatment with a membrane permeable crosslinker (DMS) but not after treatment with the membrane impermeable crosslinker (DTSSP), localizing the site of the GP-2:nucleocapsid protein (NP) interaction to the interior of the virion. The interaction of GP-2 with NP may be important in directing the maturation and budding of LCM virions.

Ambisense RNA genomes of arenaviruses and phleboviruses

This chapter reviews the evidence that shows that arenaviruses and members of one genus of the Bunyaviridae (phleboviruses) have some proteins coded in subgenomic, viral-sense mRNA species and other proteins coded in subgenomic, viral-complementary mRNA sequences. This unique feature is discussed in relation to the implications it has on the intracellular infection process and how such a coding arrangement may have evolved. The chapter presents a list of the known members of the arenaviridae, their origins, and the vertebrate hosts from which isolates have been reported. It discusses the structural components, the infection cycle, and genetic attributes of arenaviruses. In order to determine how arenaviruses code for gene products, the S RNA species of Pichinde virus and that of a viscerotropic strain of LCM virus (LCM-WE) have been cloned into DNA and sequenced. The arenavirus S RNA is described as having an ambisense strategy, to denote the fact that both viral and viral-complementary sequences are used to make gene products. The chapter discusses the infection cycle, the structural and genetic properties of bunyaviridae member.

Synthesis of Tacaribe virus polypeptides in an in vitro coupled transcription and translation system

We have analyzed polypeptides synthesized in a coupled in vitro transcription and translation system in response to detergent-disrupted Tacaribe virus. Analysis of the major Tacaribe virus-specified product by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that it had an isoelectric point similar to that of the Tacaribe nucleocapsid polypeptide N; however, the in vitro product had an approximate mol. wt. of 73 000, compared to a mol. wt. of 68 000 for the N protein. The 73 000 dalton product was found to yield proteolytic cleavage products with similar electrophoretic mobilities to those obtained from the virion P and N proteins. These results, as well as pulse-chase experiments in Tacaribe virus-infected cells, suggest that a 73 000 dalton polypeptide may be processed to yield the N polypeptide. The polypeptides synthesized in the coupled system depended on the amount and type of virus added; addition of purified Shark River (SR) virus, a member of the Patois group of bunyaviruses, resulted in synthesis of a polypeptide of mol. wt. 22 000 which corresponds to the SR nucleocapsid protein.

Machupo virus polypeptides: identification by immunoprecipitation

The most abundant protein in purified Machupo virions (Corvallo strain) labelled with 14C-Protein hydrolysate is a 64 K polypeptide which is associated with virion RNAs. Another structural polypeptide, 37 K, solubilized by nonionic detergent seems to be a major surface glycoprotein. In addition to this, a 78 K polypeptide and a minor 50 K polypeptide have been detected. In Machupo virus infected cells three virus-specific polypeptides similar in size to those described for structural polypeptides were immunoprecipitated with anti-Machupo virus serum. The most abundant virus-specific polypeptide was nonglycosylated (64 K, NP), and the others were glycosylated polypeptides (78 K and 37 K). The synthesis of NP and 78 K polypeptides was recognized at the beginning of a log phase of virus replication. Pulse-chase experiments as well as experiments with an arginine analogue, canavanine (to block proteolytic processing) suggest that 78 K is a precursor for structural glycoproteins of Machupo virions.

Conserved sequences and coding of two strains of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (WE and ARM) and Pichinde arenavirus

Analyses of the 3' end sequences of the small, S, and large, L, RNA species of lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus isolates ARM and WE, and DNA clones of LCM-WE, have shown that there are extensive RNA sequence homologies between the 3' ends of the two RNA species of both LCM strains. Limited sequence data of DNA clones representing the LCM-WE L RNA species indicate that a gene product (presumably the minor 200 kdalton virion protein) is coded in a viral-complementary mRNA species. Sequence analyses of LCM-WE S DNA clones indicate that approximately 50% of the 2040 nucleotides representing the 3' half of the viral RNA species (and its encoded 558 amino acid gene product) are identical in type and position to those of Pichinde arenavirus (Auperin, D., et al. (1984a), Virology 134, 208-219). For Pichinde virus, it has been shown that the 3' proximal gene product (the nucleoprotein, N) is translated from a subgenomic, viral-complementary mRNA (Auperin et al., 1984a). Data have recently been obtained (Auperin, D., et al. (1984b) J. Virol., in press) that indicate that the Pichinde glycoprotein precursor, GPC, is coded in a viral-sense subgenomic mRNA species corresponding to the 5' half of the S RNA. The nucleotide sequence that immediately follows the N coding region of both LCM-WE and Pichinde viruses can be arranged in a hairpin configuration. In view of this, and if, like Pichinde virus, LCM has an ambisense S RNA coding strategy, then it is probable that the intergenic hairpins function as transcription terminators for the N and GPC mRNA species of both viruses.

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. IV. Electron microscopic investigation of the virion

The structure of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCM virus) was investigated by a variety of conventional as well as novel electron microscopic procedures. Thin sections of infected cells revealed the characteristic arenavirus entities whose interiors contain ribosome-like granules but look otherwise empty. In contrast, most thin-sectioned virus particles from infectious cell culture fluid, both untreated and highly purified with little loss of initial infectivity, appeared to be filled with rather homogeneous cores. Cores rather than granules were also found in positively contrasted whole and thin-sectioned virus particles. We favor the explanation that the sandy grains, which have given this group of viruses its name, are altered cores that happen to look like ribosomes. However, the alternative cannot yet be excluded, namely, that LCM virus-infected cells produce two types of particles, of which only the core-containing ones represent virions.

A protein kinase activity in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and identification of the phosphorylated product using monoclonal antibody

A cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase activity was found in purified preparations of the Armstrong CA 1371 strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Using the exquisite sensitivity of monoclonal antibodies to LCMV polypeptides, the internal nucleocapsid N protein was identified as the major virus-specific phosphorylated product of the endogenous protein kinase activity. This was accompanied by an increase in the electrophoretic mobility of N protein as detected by SDS-PAGE. After solubilization of the virus with 1% Nonidet P40 approximately 81% of the endogenous protein kinase activity remained associated with LCMV nucleocapsids recovered by equilibrium centrifugation at a density of 1.25 g/cm-3 in a linear renograffin gradient. Specific phosphorylation of N protein was reconfirmed in the purified nucleocapsid fraction and both phosphoserine and phosphothreonine found to be the phosphorylated products of the kinase reaction. Although the significance of this enzyme remains unclear, the presence of a protein kinase within LCMV may allow the regulation of LCMV replication and maturation by phosphorylation of virus-specific polypeptides. These events may in turn play a key role in determining the nature and outcome of LCMV infection.

Characterization of polypeptides immunoprecipitable from Pichinde virus-infected BHK-21 cells

Using hamster anti-Pichinde virus serum, we immunoprecipitated polypeptides from BHK-21 cells infected with Pichinde virus. Seven immunoprecipitable polypeptides exhibited a time- and multiplicity of infection-dependent appearance when the cultures were pulse-labeled with L-[35S]methionine for 1 h. The predominant polypeptide was a nucleoprotein (NP) of 64,000 daltons. Components of 48,000, 38,000, and 28,000 daltons, when analyzed by two-dimensional tryptic peptide mapping, were found to be derived from NP. After a 3-h chase period, polypeptides of 17,000, 16,500, and 14,000 daltons were evident, and peptide mapping revealed that these three polypeptides were also related to NP. During a series of pulse-chase experiments, a 79,000-dalton glycoprotein (GPC) was cleaved to glycoproteins of 52,000 and 36,000 daltons. Radiolabel in a polypeptide of approximately 200,000 daltons (L) did not chase into smaller cleavage products. L, GPC, and NP were found to be unique by two-dimensional tryptic peptide mapping. Comparison of polypeptides immunoprecipitated from infected cells with structural components of purified virus revealed that L protein was evident in both. This is the first report of a high-molecular-weight polypeptide in Pichinde virus particles and infected cells.

Distinctive RNA transcriptase, polyadenylic acid polymerase, and polyuridylic acid polymerase activities associated with Pichinde virus

Three RNA polymerase activities were found and associated with purified Pichinde virus, a member of the Arenaviridae. A heat-labile polymerase activity which required all four ribonucleoside triphosphates for optimal activity co-sedimented on sucrose gradient centrifugation with the viral ribonucleoprotein complex from detergent-disrupted virus preparations. This enzyme synthesized heteropolymers which represented about 23% of the genome RNA as determined by nucleic acid hybridization. Two relatively heat-stable polymerase activities which differed in their cation requirement and substrate specificity were recovered with the virus-associated ribosomes. These polymerase activities synthesized homopolymers of limited chain length: in the presence of 10 mM Mg2%, polyuridylic acid was made, whereas in the presence of 1 mM Mn2%, polyadenylic acid was made. The addition of complementary RNA synthesized with the viral transcriptase in vitro to the reaction mixture containing the polyadenylic acid polymerase activity resulted in the terminal addition of polyadenylic acid to the complementary RNA. The possible function of the ribosome-associated polymerase activities in the replication of the virus is discussed.

Virion RNA species of the arenaviruses Pichinde, Tacaribe, and Tamiami

The principal RNA species isolated from labeled preparations of the arenavirus Pichinde usually include a large viral RNA species L (apparent molecular weight = 3.2 X 10(6)), and a smaller viral RNA species S (apparent molecular weight = 1.6 X 10(6)). In addition, either little or considerable quantities of 28S rRNA as well as 18S rRNA can also be obtained in virus extracts, depending on the virus stock and growth conditions used to generate virus preparations. Similar RNA species have been identified in RNA extracted from Tacaribe and Tamiami arenavirus preparations. Oligonucleotide fingerprint analyses have confirmed the host ribosomal origin of the 28S and 18S species. Such analyses have also indicated that the Pichinde viral L and S RNA species each contain unique nucleotide sequences. Viral RNA preparations isolated by conventional phenol-sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction often have much of their L and S RNA species in the form of aggregates as visualized by either electron microscopy or oligonucleotide fingerprinting of material recovered from the top of gels (run by using undenatured RNA preparations). Circular and linear RNA forms have also been seen in electron micrographs of undenatured RNA preparations, although denatured viral RNA preparations have yielded mostly linear RNA species with few RNA aggregates or circular forms.

Recombination between temperature-sensitive mutants of the arenavirus Pichinde

High-frequency recombination was obtained with temperature-sensitive, conditionally lethal mutants of the arenavirus Pichinde.