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J Virol, August 1998, p. 6838-6850, Vol. 72, No. 8
Institute of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases
and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and Institute of
Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CL Utrecht, The
Netherlands,1 and
Wadsworth Center for
Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health,
Albany, New York 122012
Received 23 December 1997/Accepted 17 May 1998
Coronavirus-like particles morphologically similar to normal
virions are assembled when genes encoding the viral membrane proteins M
and E are coexpressed in eukaryotic cells. Using this envelope assembly
assay, we have studied the primary sequence requirements for particle
formation of the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) M protein, the major
protein of the coronavirion membrane. Our results show that each of the
different domains of the protein is important. Mutations (deletions,
insertions, point mutations) in the luminal domain, the transmembrane
domains, the amphiphilic domain, or the carboxy-terminal domain had
effects on the assembly of M into enveloped particles. Strikingly, the
extreme carboxy-terminal residue is crucial. Deletion of this single
residue abolished particle assembly almost completely; most
substitutions were strongly inhibitory. Site-directed mutations in the
carboxy terminus of M were also incorporated into the MHV genome by
targeted recombination. The results supported a critical role for this
domain of M in viral assembly, although the M carboxy terminus was more
tolerant of alteration in the complete virion than in virus-like
particles, likely because of the stabilization of virions by additional
intermolecular interactions. Interestingly, glycosylation of M appeared
not essential for assembly. Mutations in the luminal domain that
abolished the normal O glycosylation of the protein or created an
N-glycosylated form had no effect. Mutant M proteins unable to form
virus-like particles were found to inhibit the budding of
assembly-competent M in a concentration-dependent manner. However,
assembly-competent M was able to rescue assembly-incompetent M when the
latter was present in low amounts. These observations support the
existence of interactions between M molecules that are thought to be
the driving force in coronavirus envelope assembly.
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Coronavirus Particle Assembly: Primary Structure
Requirements of the Membrane Protein
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of
Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, P.O. Box 80.165, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. Phone:
31-30-253246-2. Fax: 31-30-2536723. E-mail:
P.Rottier{at}vetmic.dgk.ruu.nl.
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