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Journal of Virology, December 2004, p. 13262-13277, Vol. 78, No. 23
0022-538X/04/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.78.23.13262-13277.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Received 19 May 2004/ Accepted 8 July 2004
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Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) specify at least 11 virally encoded glycoproteins, as well as several nonglycosylated membrane-associated proteins, that are pivotal in membrane fusion processes during a productive viral infection. Mutations that cause extensive virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion have been mapped to at least four regions of the viral genome: the UL20 gene (1, 50, 53), the UL24 gene (38, 64), the UL27 gene encoding glycoprotein B (gB) (9, 57), and the UL53 gene coding for gK (3, 16, 34, 58, 59, 63). Of these four membrane-associated proteins, UL20p and gK are essential for the intracellular transport of virions to extracellular spaces (1, 25, 29, 35, 39, 55).
The UL20 and UL53(gK) genes encode multipass transmembrane proteins of 222 and 338 amino acids, respectively, that are conserved in all alphaherpesviruses (16, 50, 60). Although both proteins have multiple sites where posttranslational modification can occur, only gK is posttranslationally modified by N-linked carbohydrate addition (16, 34, 60). Viruses that specify deletions in either of these proteins are unable to translocate from the cytoplasm to extracellular spaces and accumulate enveloped virions within TGN-like cytoplasmic vesicles (1, 24, 25, 29, 35, 39, 53). Moreover, both transport of gK to cell surfaces and gK-mediated cell-to-cell fusion were abolished in UL20-null virus-infected cells (25). Taken together, these results suggest a functional interdependence between gK and UL20 for intracellular protein trafficking, virus egress, and virus-mediated cell-to-cell fusion (19, 23, 25, 29, 53).
Recent observations that both UL20-null and gK-null virions accumulated within TGN-like cytoplasmic vesicles (24, 25, 39) prompted the detailed examination of the cellular localization and interdependent transport of gK and UL20p. In this report, we show that UL20p and gK are mutually dependent for post-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transport and specifically colocalize to the TGN after endocytosis from cell surfaces. These findings suggest that TGN localization of gK and UL20p may be required for cytoplasmic virion envelopment and subsequent virus trafficking from the TGN to extracellular spaces.
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UL20/gKDIV5, was described previously (25) and was propagated on UL20-null-complementing G5 cells (18). The gK-null virus,
gK, was described previously (39) and was propagated on the gK-null-complementing cell line VK302 (35). For isolation and replication of the
UL20/
gK virus, the UL20-null/gK-null-complementing cell line, CV-1(c20cgK), was constructed in a CV-1 cell background through FLP recombinase target recombination essentially as described previously (53). Plasmid construction. The untagged UL20 plasmid, pUL20, and the pgKDIV5 plasmid, which specifies a V5 epitope tag within domain I of gK, were described previously (23). The pUL20amFLAG expression plasmid was generated by PCR amplification of the UL20 gene with the 5'-primer-coding sequence specifying an in-frame insertion of the FLAG epitope (MDYKDDDDK) immediately prior to the start codon of the HSV type 1 (HSV-1) UL20 gene. The resultant PCR product was inserted into the eukaryotic expression TOPO cloning vector pEF6 (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.), tested for orientation, and sequenced to confirm that the amino-terminal FLAG epitope fusion was present without intervening mutations in UL20. From this initial amino-terminal FLAG-tagged construct, the ER retention (pUL20KKSL) and ER retention control (pUL20KKSLAL) plasmids were generated by modifying the 3' primers to contain the additional motifs inserted at the carboxyl terminus of UL20p. The pUL20DIVFLAG expression plasmid, which specifies UL20p with the FLAG epitope (DYKDDDDK) inserted within domain IV of UL20p, was generated by splice overlap extension PCR utilizing primers that contained the coding sequence for the FLAG epitope and were specific for the insertion region, in a manner that was essentially as described previously for domain-specific epitope tagging of gK (23, 24, 27).
UL20/gK double-null and
gK/UL20amFLAG recombinant virus construction.
The UL20/UL53(gK) double-null recombinant virus,
gK/
UL20, was generated essentially as described previously for the isolation of the UL20-null virus
UL20/gKDIV5 (25), with the exception that the UL20 gene was deleted from a gK-null virus background. Briefly, gK-null/UL20-null-complementing CV-1(c20cgK) cells were transfected with plasmid p
20-EGFP (25) and subsequently infected with the gK-null virus,
gK (Fig. 1) (39). Thirty-six hours postinfection (hpi), virus stocks were isolated and replated onto CV-1(c20cgK) cells for virus plaque isolation. Potential recombinant viruses were initially selected by the presence of green fluorescence in isolated viral plaques. Viral plaque isolates were picked, plaque purified at least seven times, and tested by diagnostic PCR and DNA sequencing for contaminating background virus, deletion of the UL20 gene, and the absence of the UL53(gK) gene. The
gK/UL20amFLAG virus, which specifies a 3xFLAG epitope tag at the amino terminus of UL20p in a gK-null viral background, was generated by a similar methodology. Plasmid pF20-AM3xFLAG contains the coding sequence for a 3xFLAG epitope inserted at the amino terminal of the UL20 gene, as well as upstream and downstream HSV genomic flanking regions, to facilitate homologous recombination with viral genomes (Fig. 1). gK-null-complementing VK302 cells were transfected with pF20-AM3xFLAG and subsequently infected with the
gK/
UL20 double-null virus. Recombinant virus isolates that had rescued the lack of the UL20 gene with the UL20am3xFLAG gene (Fig. 1) were detected by their growth on VK302 cells, as well as the absence of green fluorescence. Viral plaque isolates were picked, plaque purified at least seven times, and tested by diagnostic PCR, DNA sequencing, and immunofluorescence using anti-FLAG for the presence of the UL20am3xFLAG fusion, as well as the absence of the UL53(gK) gene.
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FIG. 1. Schematic of gK-null and UL20-null recombinant viruses expressing epitope-tagged UL20p and gK, respectively. (A) The top line represents the prototypic arrangement of the HSV-1 genome with the unique long (UL) and unique short (US) regions flanked by the terminal repeat (TR) and internal repeat (IR) regions. (B) An expanded genomic region between map units 0.25 and 0.3 containing the UL19, UL20, UL20.5, UL21, and UL22 genes (panel 1) or the region between map units 0.7 and 0.8 containing the UL52, UL53, and UL54 open reading frames (panel 2). (C) The recombination plasmid, p 20-EGFP, which contains UL20 flanking sequences for recombination with the viral genome, was used through homologous recombination with the gK viral genome to generate a UL20/ gK double-null virus. (D) The recombination plasmid pF20-am3xFLAG, which encodes a 3xFLAG epitope-tagged UL20 gene and flanking sequences for recombination, was used to rescue the UL20 deletion and transfer the 3xFLAG epitope into the virus. (E) Schematic depicting the experimentally determined membrane topology of gK and the predicted membrane topology of UL20p, as well as the relative sites of insertion of each of the epitope tags.
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For cell surface biotinylation, prior to fixation cells were washed with Tris-buffered saline with Ca and Mg (TBS-Ca/Mg) and incubated for 15 min at room temperature in EZ-Link sulfo-NHS-LC biotin cell-impermeable biotinylation reagent (Pierce Chemical), which reacts with primary amines on cell surface proteins (25, 26). Cells were washed with TBS and fixed with electron microscopy-grade 3% paraformaldehyde (Electron Microscopy Sciences, Fort Washington, Pa.) for 15 min, washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline-50 mM glycine, and permeabilized with 1.0% Triton X-100. Monolayers were subsequently blocked for 1 h with 7% normal goat serum and 7% bovine serum albumin in TBS (TBS blocking buffer) before incubation for 2 h with either anti-V5 (Invitrogen), for recognition of gK, or anti-FLAG (Sigma Chemical), for recognition of UL20p, diluted 1:500 in TBS blocking buffer. Alternatively, simultaneous detection of gK and UL20p in cotransfected cells was accomplished by concurrent incubation with murine anti-V5 and rabbit anti-FLAG (Sigma Chemical) diluted 1:500 in TBS blocking buffer. Cells were then washed extensively and incubated for 30 min with Alexa Fluor 594-conjugated anti-immunoglobulin G diluted 1:500 in TBS blocking buffer. After incubation, excess antibody was removed by washing five times with TBS. For cell surface labeling, biotinylated cells were reacted with 1:1,000-diluted Alexa Fluor 647-conjugated streptavidin for 20 min. For Golgi and ER organelle labeling, cell monolayers were incubated with a 1:750 dilution of Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated lectins GSII and concanavalin A, respectively (12, 26, 46). TGN were identified with a donkey anti-TGN46 primary antibody and an Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated sheep anti-donkey secondary antibody (52). Specific immunofluorescence was examined using a Leica TCS SP2 laser scanning confocal microscope (Leica Microsystems, Exton, Pa.) fitted with a CS APO 63x Leica objective (1.4 numerical aperture). Individual optical sections in the z axis, averaged six times, were collected at the indicated zoom in series in the different channels at 1,024- by 1,024-pixel resolution as described previously (23, 25, 26). Images were compiled and rendered with Adobe Photoshop. Image analysis and subcellular colocalization fluorograms were generated and analyzed using the Leica confocal microscopy software package and were modified from protocols described previously (17). Positive and negative image masks of significant colocalization of two fluorophores were generated from the image fluorogram data sets by defining the specific regions of interest with a bounding box on the fluorogram. To determine an approximate percentage of subcellular colocalization, pixel enumeration and intensity statistics within the Leica software package were applied to a series of individual optical sections. The average percentage of pixels colocalized within a given organelle marker image mask (i.e., Golgi, TGN) relative to the total average pixel counts yielded an approximation of the percentage of protein localized to that organelle at that time point. In order to determine the approximate stoichiometric ratio of UL20p to gK, the TGN was defined as an end point of transport of the two proteins and an image mask was set according to the
TGN46 subcellular marker. Image statistics across a series of individual optical sections were used to determine the percentage of UL20p within the TGN mask relative to the percentage of gK outside of the subcellular image mask. This quantity was compared to the percentage of gK within the subcellular mask relative to the percentage of gK outside the TGN image mask in order to approximate the ratio of the two proteins.
UL20p/gK cell surface internalization assay. Internalization assays were modified from similar assays performed previously (6, 66, 67). Briefly, Vero cells were transfected with pUL20amFLAG, pgKDIV5, pUL20DIVFLAG, or a combination with either pgKDIV5/pUL20amFLAG or pgKDIV5/pUL20DIVFLAG. Twenty hours posttransfection, cells were incubated under live conditions for 6 h at 37°C with either mouse anti-FLAG, mouse anti-V5, or a combination of mouse anti-V5 and rabbit anti-FLAG antibodies. Cells were extensively washed, fixed with paraformaldehyde, and processed for confocal microscopy as described above, with the exception that the internalized antibodies served as the primary antibody in all assays.
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To facilitate the isolation of recombinant viruses carrying modifications or mutations in either gK- or UL20p-null genetic backgrounds, the UL53(gK)/UL20 double-null virus,
gK/
UL20, was isolated by insertional replacement of the UL20 gene with a CMV immediate-early promoter-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene cassette in the
gK (gK-null) KOS genetic background (39) (Fig. 1B and C). Subsequently, a gK-null recombinant virus that specified the amino-terminal 3xFLAG epitope (MDYKDHDGDYKDHDIDYKDDDDK)-tagged UL20p, designated here as
gK/UL20amFLAG, was isolated by rescuing the UL20 gene within the UL53(gK)/UL20 double-null virus (Fig. 1C and D). The generated plasmids and recombinant viruses were utilized to localize gK and UL20p relative to cellular markers demarcating ER, Golgi, TGN, and plasma membranes (cell surface) (Table 1).
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TABLE 1. Antibody markers for delineation of cellular organelles
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FIG. 2. Intracellular localization of transiently expressed gK. Cells transfected with pgKDIV5 were fixed at 25 h posttransfection and stained with anti-V5 antibodies for gK (red) (A, B, and C) or specific organelle markers (green) that recognized the ER (A), Golgi (B), or plasma membranes (C). Magnification, x63; zoom, x4.
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FIG. 3. Digital images of confocal micrographs showing UL20/gKDIV5 (A, B, and C) or gKDIV5/UL20amFLAG (D) virus-infected Vero cells. Infected cells were fixed at 12 hpi and stained with anti-V5 antibodies for gK (red) or specific organelle markers (green and blue) that specifically recognized ER (A), Golgi (green) (B and D), or plasma membranes (green in panel C, blue in panel D). Magnification, x63; zoom, x2.
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FIG. 4. Intracellular localization of UL20p in transfected (A to C), gK/UL20amFLAG (D and E), or gKDIV5/UL20amFLAG (F) virus-infected cells. Cells were fixed at either 24 h posttransfection (A to C) or 12 hpi (D to F) and stained with anti-FLAG antibodies for UL20p (red) or specific organelle markers (green) that specifically recognized ER (A and D), Golgi (B, E, and F), or plasma membranes (C). Magnification, x63; zoom, x4 (A to C) or x2 (D to F).
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FIG. 5. Digital images of confocal micrographs depicting gK localization in either gK-transfected (A and C) or UL20p- and gK-cotransfected (B and D) Vero cells. Transfected cells were fixed at 24 h posttransfection and stained with anti-V5 antibodies for gK (red) or specific organelle markers (green) that specifically recognized either Golgi (A and B) or TGN (C and D). Magnification, x63; zoom, x4.
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FIG. 6. Digital images of confocal micrographs depicting UL20p localization in either UL20p-transfected (A) or UL20p- and gK-cotransfected (B to E) Vero cells. Transfected cells were fixed at 24 h posttransfection and stained with anti-FLAG antibodies for UL20p (red) or organelle markers (green) that specifically recognized ER (B), Golgi (A, C, and D), or TGN (E). Magnification, x63; zoom, x4 (A, B, C, and E) or x8 (D).
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FIG.7. Colocalization of gK and UL20p in transient-coexpression experiments with or without UL20p containing an ER retention motif. Vero cells coexpressing gK (green) and either UL20amFLAG (A), the ER retention control motif protein UL20p(KKSLAL) (B), or the ER retention motif protein UL20p(KKSL) (C) were fixed at 24 h posttransfection, and the subcellular distributions of gK (green) and UL20p (red) were determined. Fluorograms, which depict pixel intensity and distribution, are shown for each image subset, as well as the fluorogram regions that showed significant colocalization between gK and UL20p (panel 2 in A, B, and C). Image correlation masks where significant specific colocalization occurred are shown for each image subset (panel 3 in A to C). In addition, a negative image correlation mask is shown with a blue-masked image depicting the specific subcellular region of significant colocalization (panel 4 in A to C). Magnification, x63; zoom, x4.
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TGN46 (Fig. 8C, panels 3 and 4). Fluorohistogram sectional analysis also indicated that small percentages of UL20p(KKSLAL) and gK were also present within subcellular Golgi-like compartments that were immediately adjacent but distinguishable from the TGN, as indicated by the absence of TGN46 specific recognition but the presence of both gK and UL20p(KKSLAL) (Fig. 8C, panel 5). These results indicate that a functional association between gK and UL20p must form at the ER, and its formation is necessary for subsequent cotransport and localization of both gK and UL20p to Golgi and TGN membranes.
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FIG.8. Requirement for UL20p transport from ER to TGN for specific colocalization of gK, UL20p, and TGN markers. Vero cells coexpressing gK (green) and either the ER retention motif protein UL20p(KKSL) (A and B) or the ER retention control motif protein UL20p(KKSLAL) (C) were fixed at 24 h posttransfection, and the subcellular distributions of gK (blue) and UL20p (red) were determined relative to subcellular organelle markers (green) that specifically recognized ER (A), Golgi (B), or TGN (C). Three-dimensional fluorograms that depicted pixel intensity, distribution, and colocalization are shown for UL20p(KKSL) image subsets (panel 2 in A and B). Two-dimensional fluorograms and local image correlation masks between two fluorophores in each subset are shown for gK and UL20p(KKSL) (A, panel 3, and B, panels 3 and 4); gK and ER (A, panel 4); UL20p(KKSL) and Golgi (B, panel 5); UL20p(KKSLAL) and gK (C, panel 2); UL20p(KKSLAL) and TGN (C, panel 4); gK and TGN (C, panel 3). In addition, the region where no significant colocalization of gK, UL20p(KKSL), and ER occurred was masked (A, panel 5 inset), and as expected the relative image of this masked generated depicts no ER, gK, or UL20p(KKSL) proteins present. A sectional fluorohistogram for UL20p(KKSLAL), gK, and TGN colocalization is presented (C, panel 5) to show that all three markers specifically colocalized within most subcellular regions, except a few regions where only gK and UL20p(KKSLAL) colocalized outside of the TGN, most likely within Golgi membranes. Magnification, x63; zoom, x4.
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) internalization motifs (53). Furthermore, gK contains a YXX
motif within domain II, which has been shown to lie intracellularly (23, 24). To determine whether cell surface-expressed gK recycled to the TGN, Vero cells that coexpressed gK and UL20p were reacted with anti-V5 antibody under live conditions (see Materials and Methods). The fate of the internalized V5-tagged gK was assessed at different times postlabeling. By 4 h postlabeling, gK was internalized to and colocalized with TGN compartments (Fig. 9C, panels 1 and 2), while only minimal amounts of gK were detected within early endosomes (Fig. 9A). As expected, independent expression of gK did not produce any gK-specific labeling (Fig. 9B), since in the absence of UL20p gK fails to be transported past the ER to cell surfaces. In addition, this experiment showed that Vero cells did not internalize anti-V5 antibody nonspecifically.
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FIG.9. Cell surface-expressed gK and UL20p endocytose to TGN. Antibodies bound to cell surface-expressed and internalized gK (red in A to C; green in G) or UL20p (red) (D to G) were detected at 24 h posttransfection relative to organelle markers that specifically recognize early endosomes (green in A, D, and E) or TGN (green in C and F). Fluorograms of image subsets depicting gK and TGN colocalization (C, panel 2) or gK and UL20p colocalization (G, panel 2) are shown. Schematics show the predicted membrane topology of UL20p and the relative sites of FLAG epitope tag insertion within either the intracellular domain I (D2) or extracellular domain IV (E2). Magnification, x63; zoom, x4.
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In the previous experiments, the intracellular localization of gK and UL20p was individually assessed with respect to intracellular organelle markers. To assess whether gK and UL20p were simultaneously cointernalized from plasma membranes, gK and UL20p were reacted with anti-V5 and anti-FLAG antibodies, respectively. Both gK and UL20p exhibited identical cellular distributions following internalization (Fig. 9G, panel 1), as also evidenced by the relevant colocalization fluorogram (Fig. 9G, panel 2). These experiments revealed that both gK and UL20p are transported to cell surfaces and subsequently are cointernalized to specific TGN compartments.
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Transient-coexpression experiments revealed an absolute interdependence between gK and UL20p for intracellular transport past the ER, which was exemplified by the retention of gK or UL20p in the ER in the absence of their heterologous partner. Likewise, a mutual dependence for transport was observed in the context of gK- or UL20-null viral infections, in which the corresponding heterologous protein remained localized to the ER and failed to traffic to the Golgi, TGN, or cell surfaces (Fig. 10). Moreover, coexpression of gK and UL20p resulted in specific trafficking and colocalization to the TGN. These findings are in agreement with the secondary envelopment defects observed in gK- and UL20p-null viruses. Acquisition of the final viral envelope (secondary envelopment) is thought to occur by cytoplasmic capsids budding into TGN-derived membranes. In this regard, lack of gK or UL20p within TGN membranes may lead to accumulation of capsids into the cytoplasm and a failure of enveloped virions to be transported from TGN-like compartments.
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FIG. 10. Diagrammatic summary of gK and UL20p transport from the ER to TGN and cell surfaces. (A and B) Neither gK nor UL20p is capable of transport out of the ER in the absence of its heterologous partner. (C) Moreover, retention of UL20p to the ER via a carboxyl terminal ER retention motif retained both gK and UL20p within ER membranes. (D) Coexpression of gK and UL20p resulted in transport of both UL20p and gK to post-ER compartments, including Golgi, TGN, and cell surfaces. (E and F) UL20p and gK colocalized within TGN following endocytosis from cell surfaces (E) and specific transport to TGN (F).
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motif located within gK domain II (24) and within UL20p domain I (amino terminus) (53), as well as a cluster of acidic amino acids located in UL20p domain I (53). Alteration of the critical tyrosine residue in the YXX
motifs within either gK or UL20p was shown to inhibit cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis, egress, and cell-to-cell spread (24, 53). Similarly, mutagenesis of certain acidic amino acid clusters at the amino terminus of UL20p reduced infectious virus production and cytoplasmic virion envelopment (53). Therefore, internalization of either gK or UL20p to TGN may be required for cytoplasmic envelopment by budding of capsids into the TGN. There are several possible explanations for the apparent differences in cell surface localization of gK and UL20p between transient coexpression and viral infection. Virus infection may alter endocytic membrane trafficking mechanisms, effectively decreasing the rate of endocytosis of cell surface-expressed viral membrane proteins. Alternatively, other viral proteins may be involved in increasing retention of gK and UL20p on cell surfaces via direct or indirect interactions. The fact that both gK and UL20p contain syncytial mutations (1, 16, 53, 58, 59, 63) suggests that they may be required at cell surfaces to modulate virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion. Thus, HSV-1 may have evolved mechanisms for balancing levels of gK and UL20p within the TGN and plasma membranes required for efficient cytoplasmic envelopment and virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion, respectively. Recently, gK was shown to assume a tetramembrane-spanning topology that oriented both amino and carboxyl termini in extracellular spaces, while two other gK domains were located in the cytoplasm (23). UL20p is also predicted to span membranes four times; however, unlike gK, UL20p is predicted to orient its amino and carboxyl termini within the cytoplasm, while two other internal domains are predicted to be located extracellularly (53). In this study, this predicted UL20p topology was partially confirmed by investigating the cell surface expression of UL20p derivatives tagged with FLAG epitopes inserted within either domain I or IV (Fig. 1). In agreement with the predicted UL20p membrane topology, the potential extracellular domain IV was readily accessible to anti-FLAG antibodies, while domain I was not accessible in live cell surface labeling internalization assays. Thus, UL20p seems to assume a membrane orientation that is a topological mirror image of gK. This corresponding topological orientation will be important in future studies that aim to determine possible direct or indirect interactions between domains of gK and UL20p.
HSV-1 codes for a number of membrane proteins that require direct interaction with a partner protein to facilitate their intracellular transport and function. Examples of such protein-protein interactions include the following: (i) the gB complex, which consists of two disulfide bond-linked gB monomers that are posttranslationally proteolytically cleaved into two subunits (10, 11, 32, 45, 73); (ii) the essential gH/gL complex, as coexpression of HSV-1 gL is required for the proper folding, cell surface expression, and virion incorporation of gH (33, 42, 43, 61, 62); (iii) the noncovalently linked gE/gI heterodimeric complex that functions in direct cell-to-cell spread in certain cell types and neuronal systems (2, 20, 74); and (iv) the disulfide-linked gM/UL49.5 (gN) complex, in which PRV gM is required for virion incorporation and transport of gN (40). These heterodimeric protein complexes involve direct interactions between the partner proteins. Therefore, it is possible that gK and UL20p directly interact and that this interaction is necessary for their intracellular transport, localization, and functions. This conclusion is supported by the quantitative subcellular image correlation of fluorescent pixels. This analysis shows that the actual pixel counts within a specific subcellular site of TGN compartments suggest a 1:1 stoichiometric relationship between these two proteins. In this regard, our group's recent observations that overexpression of gK severely inhibited virion morphogenesis and intracellular trafficking of gK by collapsing Golgi into the ER (26) may be due to the lack of sufficient amounts of UL20p to transport gK from the ER to cell surfaces and TGN. The accumulation of gK within the ER, due to its inability to be transported to subsequent compartments, could mediate a cellular ER stress response and subsequent Golgi collapse (15, 47). Additional biochemical experiments are needed to more accurately define gK/UL20p stoichiometric relationships and test whether these two proteins directly interact. Alternatively, gK and UL20p may not necessarily interact but may be mutually required for independent transport to TGN compartments. However, this latter possibility is improbable, since ER retention of UL20p by addition of an ER retention motif to its carboxyl terminus resulted in ER retention of gK.
The observed interdependence of gK and UL20p for intracellular transport and localization implies that direct or indirect interactions between gK and UL20p may be required for their role in both cytoplasmic virion envelopment and virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion. With regard to virion morphogenesis, UL20 and gK may function to tether tegument proteins to TGN budding sites, as it has also been suggested for UL11, gM, gE, and VP22 (5, 7, 21, 22, 28, 44, 48, 49). Although both gK and UL20p contain syncytial mutations, it is unclear whether they directly participate in virus-induced membrane fusion or function to regulate other fusogenic viral proteins, such as gB. The inability of syncytial mutations in gB to cause membrane fusion in the absence of either gK (J. M. Melancon, T. P. Foster, and K. G. Kousoulas, unpublished data) or UL20p (25, 53) suggests that both UL20p and gK exert regulatory functions on gB-mediated membrane fusion. Recently our investigators showed that specific UL20 mutations can selectively inhibit either gB- or gK-mediated virus-induced cell fusion, while certain other UL20 mutations inhibited both gB- and gK-mediated cell fusion (25, 53). Collectively, these results suggest that a UL20p/gK interactive complex may regulate gB-mediated cell fusion through either direct or indirect protein-protein interactions.
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deenvelopment
reenvelopment pathway. J. Virol. 75:5697-5702.
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