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Journal of Virology, May 2004, p. 4744-4752, Vol. 78, No. 9
0022-538X/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.78.9.4744-4752.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Expression of the Cymbidium Ringspot Virus 33-Kilodalton Protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Molecular Dissection of the Peroxisomal Targeting Signal

Dipartimento di Protezione delle Piante e Microbiologia Applicata, Università degli Studi di Bari,¹ Istituto di Virologia Vegetale del CNR, Sezione di Bari, Bari, Italy²

Received 4 September 2003/ Accepted 9 January 2004

Open reading frame 1 in the viral genome of Cymbidium ringspot virus encodes a 33-kDa protein (p33), which was previously shown to localize to the peroxisomal membrane in infected and transgenic plant cells. To determine the sequence requirements for the organelle targeting and membrane insertion, the protein was expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in native form (33K) or fused to the green fluorescent protein (33KGFP). Cell organelles were identified by immunolabeling of marker proteins. In addition, peroxisomes were identified by simultaneous expression of the red fluorescent protein DsRed containing a peroxisomal targeting signal and mitochondria by using the dye MitoTracker. Fluorescence microscopy showed the 33KGFP fusion protein concentrated in a few large bodies colocalizing with peroxisomes. These bodies were shown by electron microscopy to be composed by aggregates of peroxisomes, a few mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) strands. In immunoelectron microscopy, antibodies to p33 labeled the peroxisomal clumps. Biochemical analysis suggested that p33 is anchored to the peroxisomal membrane through a segment of ca. 7 kDa, which corresponds to the sequence comprising two hydrophobic transmembrane domains and a hydrophilic interconnecting loop. Analysis of deletion mutants confirmed these domains as essential components of the p33 peroxisomal targeting signal, together with a cluster of three basic amino acids (KRR). In yeast mutants lacking peroxisomes p33 was detected in the ER. The possible involvement of the ER as an intermediate step for the integration of p33 into the peroxisomal membrane is discussed.

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