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Journal of Virology, June 1999, p. 4622-4630, Vol. 73, No. 6
Department of Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine, Research Institute, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada
Received 10 July 1998/Accepted 23 February 1999
We report on the construction of a full-length cDNA clone, pBRM33,
derived from wild-type rubella virus M33 strain. The RNA transcripts
synthesized in vitro from pBRM33 are highly infectious, and the viruses
produced retain the phenotypic characteristics of the parental M33
virus in growth rate and plaque size. This cDNA clone was used to study
the role of E1 transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains in virus assembly
by site-directed mutagenesis. Three different alanine substitutions
were introduced in the transmembrane domain of E1. These included
substitution of leucine 464, cysteine 466, cysteine 467, and both
cysteines 466 and 467 to alanine. In the E1 cytoplasmic domain,
cysteine 470 and leucine 471 were altered to alanine. We found that
these mutations did not significantly affect viral RNA replication,
viral structural protein synthesis and transport, or E2/E1 heterodimer
formation. Except for the substitution of cysteine 470, these mutations
did, however, lead to a reduction in virus release. Substitution of
cysteine 467 in the transmembrane region and of leucine 471 in the
cytoplasmic domain dramatically reduced virus yield, resulting in the
production of only 1 and 10% of the parental virus yield,
respectively, in a parallel infection. These data show that E1
transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains play an important role in late
stages of virus assembly, possibly during virus budding, consistent
with earlier studies indicating that the E1 cytoplasmic domain may
interact with nucleocapsids and that this interaction drives virus budding.
0022-538X/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Mutational Analysis, Using a Full-Length Rubella Virus cDNA
Clone, of Rubella Virus E1 Transmembrane and Cytoplasmic
Domains Required for Virus Release
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia,
Research Institute, 950 West 28th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada. Phone: (604) 875-2474. Fax: (604) 875-2496. E-mail: gillam{at}wpog.childhosp.bc.ca.
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