Functional analysis of the Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus Gc glycoprotein

Xiaohong Shi, Josthna Goli, Gordon Clark, Kristina Brauburger, Richard Michael Elliott

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The virion glycoproteins Gn and Gc of Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus (BUNV, family Bunyaviridae) are encoded by the M RNA genome segment and have roles in both viral attachment and membrane fusion. To investigate further the structure and function of the Gc protein in viral replication we generated twelve mutants that contain truncations from the N-terminus. The effects of these deletions were analysed with regard to Golgi targeting, low-pH dependent membrane fusion, infectious virus-like particle (VLP) formation and virus infectivity. Our results showed that the N-terminal half (453 residues) of the Gc ectodomain (909 residues in total) is dispensable for Golgi trafficking and cell fusion. However, deletions in this region resulted in significant reduction in VLP formation. Four mutant viruses that contain N-terminal deletions in their Gc proteins were rescued, and found to be attenuated to different degrees in BHK-21 cells. Taken together, our data indicate that the N-terminal half of the Gc ectodomain is dispensable for replication in cell culture, whereas the C-terminal half is required to mediate cell fusion. A model for the domain structure of the Gc ectodomain is proposed.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2483-2492
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of General Virology
Volume90
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2009

Keywords

  • La-crosse virus
  • California encephalitis-virus
  • Nonstructural protein NSM
  • Membrane-fusion
  • Cell-fusion
  • Intracellular trafficking
  • Tissue-culture
  • Lacrosse virus
  • M RNA
  • G1

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