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Journal of Virology, January 2006, p. 759-768, Vol. 80, No. 2
0022-538X/06/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JVI.80.2.759-768.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55101 Mainz, Germany,1 Laboratory for Cellular Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892,2 Department of Dental Basic Sciences, Academic Center for Dentistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,3 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Center for Molecular and Tumor Virology, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130-39324
Received 21 June 2005/ Accepted 4 October 2005
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Papillomaviruses are nonenveloped viruses with icosahedral symmetry that induce a variety of benign tumors of the skin and mucosa. Some types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) are also associated with cervical carcinoma and other tumors of anogenital epithelia. The replication of papillomavirus (PV) is strictly dependent on the terminal differentiation of the stratified squamous epithelium or mucosa. The PV particles are composed of 360 copies of the major capsid protein, L1, organized into pentameric capsomers (1, 19, 27), and a less well defined number of the minor capsid protein, L2 (2, 34, 46).
The biology of papillomaviruses has been difficult to study, since they could not be propagated in vitro. However, the advent of technologies for the in vitro generation of infectious papillomavirus capsids has significantly increased our knowledge of many aspects of the papillomavirus life cycle (reviewed in reference 38). Pseudovirions carrying a marker plasmid instead of the viral genome have been especially useful in the study of the infectious entry pathway (6, 31, 42, 47). It was shown that PV binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface is an essential step for infection (17, 22). After a delay of several hours, in which the state of binding changes, the virions are taken up via a clathrin-dependent pathway, which requires intact actin filaments. Both acidification of endosomes and intact microtubules have been demonstrated to be essential for efficient papillomavirus infection (11, 37).
The minor capsid protein, L2, does not contribute to the initial binding of papillomaviruses to the cell surface. DNA-free virus-like particles (VLPs) consisting of L1 alone or L1 and L2 are equally effective in competing with virions for cell binding and infection (29, 32). In addition, L1-only particles are internalized with kinetics comparable to L1- and L2-containing particles, suggesting that L2 contributes little to the early steps of internalization (36). L2 appears to be dispensable for DNA encapsidation for some PV types in in vitro packaging systems, including HPV type 16 (HPV16) and HPV33 (7, 47) but seems to contribute somewhat to encapsidation in raft culture systems (21). Despite this, L2 is essential for PV infection, since pseudovirions containing the L1 protein only display a strongly reduced infectivity (6, 23, 47). Recently, it was demonstrated that the L2 protein accompanies the viral genome to specific nuclear domains to establish infection (10), suggesting that it is important for later steps in the infection process.
We now show that the L2 protein contains a membrane-penetrating activity, which is absolutely essential for efficient papillomavirus infection. This activity was mapped to the C terminus of L2. Deletion or single point mutations that affect this membrane disturbance completely abrogate the L2-induced enhancement of pseudovirus infectivity and prevent endosomal escape of the viral genome. To our knowledge, this is the first report that identifies a specific amino acid sequence in one of the capsid proteins of small DNA tumor viruses responsible for passing the endosomal membrane, a prerequisite for establishing infection and, consequently, the induction of virus-induced tumors.
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ATP bioluminescence assay. ATP levels in cultures of HeLa cells after incubation with peptides were measured by luciferase-driven bioluminescence. HeLa cells were grown in 96-well plates (4 x 104/well) and treated with different concentrations of peptides. Peptide solutions were prepared in Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) (pH 7.2; Invitrogen) or in McIlvaine's phosphate buffer (pH 6.0). After the indicated period of time at 37°C, cells were suspended in 150 µl lysis buffer (1% Triton X-100), diluted 1:2 in H2O, and analyzed in a luminometer using the ATP bioluminescence assay kit CLS II (Roche). Results are expressed in bioluminescence relative light units, and controls without peptides were set at 100% ATP.
Immunofluorescence. HeLa cells were grown on coverslips and incubated with peptide solutions (100 µg/ml in HBSS) at pH 7.2 for 5 h. Cells were then fixed with methanol-0.02 M EGTA (20°C) for at least 20 min, washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and blocked in 5% goat serum dissolved in PBS. Coverslips were incubated for 1 h at 37°C with the indicated antibodies. After washing with PBS, coverslips were again blocked for 30 min with 5% goat serum and subsequently incubated at 37°C with Cy3-conjugated Affinipure goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Cy2-conjugated Affinipure goat anti-mouse IgG (Jackson Immunochemicals) for 1 h. Coverslips were washed with PBS and mounted onto slides using Fluroprep mounting medium (bioMérieux). Pictures were taken using a Zeiss Axiovert 200 M microscope and a Zeiss Axiocam digital camera. Axiovision software 3.0 was used for merging pictures.
The method for microscopic detection of uncoated PV pseudovirus has been previously described (10). For colocalization of uncoated L2-HA and lamp-2 the staining was completed in four stages. The initial incubation with mouse anti-HA and subsequent detection with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG were completed prior to incubation with the rat anti-lamp-2 monoclonal antibody and detection with Texas Red-conjugated goat anti-rat antibody. Control experiments confirmed the correct antigen recognition.
Flow cytometry. To test the effect of L2 peptides on plasma membranes, we measured the influx of propidium iodide into HeLa cells. Cells were grown in six-well plates (1 x 106/well) and incubated for 5 h at 37°C with increasing concentrations of peptides dissolved as described above in HBSS. Cells were washed with PBS and harvested with PBS containing 2.5 mM EDTA. Cell pellets were washed three times and finally resuspended in 900 µl of PBS-2% fetal calf serum. Prior to flow cytometric analysis, cells were supplemented with 100 µl propidium iodide to yield a final concentration of 0.5 µg/ml. Cells were then analyzed in a FACSCalibur flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson) and evaluated using the CellQuest software.
Generation of GFP2-peptide fusions. GFP2-peptide fusions were generated by PCR using pEGFP-C1 (Clontech) as a template and oligonucleotide 5'-ATTGAATTCATGGTGAGCAAGGGC GAG-3' (ON-GFP-5') as the forward primer. The following oligonucleotides were used as reverse primers: 5'-TTTGGATCCTCATGCAGATGCACGCTTGCGCCTTGTAGATCGTTTGTGTCTCATCTTGTACAGCTCGTCCATGCC-3' (ON-GFP-33L2-1/14-3'), 5'-TTTGGATCCTCAAAAATATGGAAAACGTTTACGCCTGCGACGTAAAATAAAATAACTCTTGTACAGCTCGTCCATGCC-3' (ON-GFP-33L2-445/459-3'), 5'-TTTGGATCCTCAACGTTTACGCCTGCGACGTAA-3' (ON-GFP-33L2-449/456), 5'-TTTGGATCCTCAGGCCGCCACTCGGACATCTGTAAAAAAATATGGAAAACGTTTACGCCTGCGACGTAAAATAATAACTCTTGTACAGCTCGTCCATGCC-3' (ON-GFP-33L2-445/467-3'). Upstream of the ATG and downstream of the stop codon, recognition sites for EcoRI and BamHI have been added (highlighted in boldface type). Fragments were cut with EcoRI and BamHI and cloned into correspondingly cut pEGFP-C1 to obtain pEGFP2-33L2-1/14, pEGFP2-33L2-445/459, and pEGFP2-33L2-445/467. Generation of the GFP2-33L1-485/499 (GFP2-33L1-NLS) construct was previously described (15).
The bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) L2 C-terminal deletion 1/460-HA construct was modified from the HA-tagged BPV-1 L2 that has been previously described (10). An oligomer primer corresponding to the coding strand was synthesized. This primer (GGGCAGCGGCGTGCGCAGAAGCCTGATCCCT) is upstream of a BstEII site. The primer on the noncoding strand (GGCGGCCGCTCTAGATTAAGCGTAATCTGGAACATCGTATGGGTACAGCAGGGAGGGATGCAGGGTGTAGTTGCTGC) bridges the deleted region and includes an XbaI site downstream of this deletion. The PCR product was gel purified, digested with BstEII and XbaI, and ligated into the original construct, likewise digested to remove the corresponding wild-type sequence. The correct construct was confirmed by DNA sequencing of both strands encompassing the entire region that was subjected to PCR.
Mutagenesis and generation of recombinant vaccinia viruses. C-terminal deletion mutants of HPV33 L2 were constructed by PCR using pCMV33L2 as the template and oligonucleotide 5'-GGTGAATTCCATGAGACACAAACGATCTAC-3' (ON-33L2-1-5') as the forward primer. The following oligonucleotides were used as reverse primers (recognition sites for EcoRI and BamHI are highlighted in boldface type): 5'-AAAGGATCCCTATGGGCTAGATGTGGGAA-3' (ON-33L2-420S-3'), 5'-AAAGGATCCCTATAAAATAAAATAACTAGG-3' (ON-33L2-449S-3'), 5'-GCGGGATCCCTAACGTTTACGCCTGCGACG-3' (ON-33L2-456S-3'). The resulting fragments were cloned into pCR2.1topo (Invitrogen). Fragments were excised using EcoRI and BamHI and cloned into the vaccinia virus transfer vector pTM1 to obtain pTM33L2-1/420, -1/449, and -1/456. Numbers indicate 33L2 amino acids still present in the construct. Replacement of arginine 452 and 453 with aspartate was carried out by overlap extension PCR using pTM-33L2 as a template and two pairs of primers, 5'-ACAGAATTCATGCCTGCTTTTTTAACATCG-3' (ON-33L2-M240-5') and 5'-TGTTAGCAGCCGGATCGTC-3' (ON-pTM-3') together with 5'-TGGAAAACGTTTATCGTCGCGACGTAAAATAAAATAACTAGG-3' (ON-33L2-DD452-3') and 5'-CCTAGTTATTTTATTTTACGTCGCGACGATAAACGTTTTCCA-3' (ON-33L2-DD452-5'), respectively. The resulting fragment was cut with StuI and BamHI and cloned into pTM-33L2 to obtain pTM-33L2-DD452. Corresponding recombinant vaccinia viruses were generated by cotransfection of these plasmids with wild-type vaccinia virus DNA following published procedures (47). Construction of vac33L1 and vac33L2 has been described (47). The helper virus VTF7-3, recombinant for the T7 RNA polymerase, was a generous gift from Bernard Moss (28). pUF-16L2-1/464 and 1/454 were obtained by amplifying 16L2 from pUF3AAV#893-hum16L2 (24) using oligonucleotide 5'-CGGAATTGTACCCGCGGC-3' as a forward primer and 5'-TTTAAGCTTTCAGTAGGGCAGCCTCTTCCTCC or 5'-TTTAAGCTTTCACAGCATGTAGTAGCTGGGGTG-3' as a reverse primer. The resulting fragment was cloned into pUF3AAV using the NotI and HindIII restriction sites (shown in boldface type). pUF16L2-EE458 was obtained by PCR using the megaprimer approach. In a first amplification step, oligonucleotides 5'-CCCAGCTACATGCTGAGGAAGGAGGAGAAGAGGCTGCCCTACTTC-3' (16L2-EE458-5') and 5'-CAAAAAGCTTTCAAGCGTAATCTGGAACATCGTATGGGTAGGCGGCCAGGC-3' (16L2-HA-S-3') and template pUF3AAV#893-hum16L2 were used to generate a C-terminal 16L2 fragment harboring the point mutation and a C-terminal HA tag. This fragment was isolated after agarose gel electrophoresis and subsequently used as megaprimer together with 5'-CGGAATTGTACCCGCGGC-3' (16L2-1-5') and template pUF3AAV#893-hum16L2 to amplify the complete L2 gene. The resulting fragment was cloned into pUF3AAV using the NotI and HindIII restriction sites.
Fractionation of cellular membranes. The fractionation of cellular membranes was carried out by following the protocol of Gaynor et al. (16) with some modifications. COS7 cells (2 x 107 cells in 15-cm2 wells) were transfected via electroporation with the indicated constructs encoding the GFP2-peptide fusion proteins. At 24 h after transfection, cells were harvested by centrifugation for 5 min at 300 x g and subsequently suspended in 1 ml of lysis buffer (10 mM Tris, pH 7.5, 0.25 M sucrose, 1 mM EDTA, 5 µg/ml aprotinin, and 5 µg/ml leupeptin). The suspension was incubated for 30 min on ice and then transferred to a prechilled Dounce homogenizer. Cells were disrupted by 25 strokes with a tight-fitting pestle. Nuclei were pelleted for 5 min at 800 x g at 4°C (p800). Supernatants (s800) were then spun for 10 min at 13,000 x g and 4°C. The resulting pellet, containing membranes (p13000 membranes), was resuspended in 200 µl of lysis buffer. The supernatant (s13000) contains soluble cytosolic proteins. Membranes (p13000) were loaded onto the top of a 1.2 M/1.5 M sucrose step gradient and centrifuged for 1 h at 85,000 x g and 4°C. Finally, six fractions at the interphase of the sucrose steps were collected as described in the protocol. Proteins were precipitated by chloroform-methanol. Precipitates were subsequently analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. Proteins were stained using the indicated primary antibodies and horseradish peroxidase-coupled secondary antibody (Jackson Immunoresearch Products). The signal was visualized by enhanced chemiluminescence (Amersham Pharmacia).
Alkaline treatment of cellular membranes. Treatment of isolated membranes with carbonate at pH 11.5 allows distinction between associated and integral membrane proteins. COS7 cells were transfected as described above, and HuTK cells (1 x 107 cells in 10-cm2 wells) were infected with the indicated recombinant vaccinia viruses. At 24 h after transfection and 16 h after infection, cells were harvested and treated as described above. Membranes (p13000) were suspended in 2 ml of lysis buffer, added to 1.7 ml of 10% sucrose, and then centrifuged for 45 min at 200,000 x g and 4°C. Pellets were resuspended in 1 ml of 100 mM Na2CO3 (pH 11.5), homogenized via passage through a 25-gauge needle and incubated for 1 h on ice. The suspension was supplemented with 2.7 ml of 100 mM Na2CO3 (pH 11.5) and spun for 30 min at 140,000 x g and 4°C. Supernatants were neutralized with acetic acid (7.5 µl/ml), and membrane associated proteins were precipitated with trichloroacetic acid and resuspended in 100 µl of lysis buffer. Pellets containing integral membrane proteins were resuspended in 100 µl of lysis buffer supplemented with 1% Nonidet P-40. Pellet fractions, nuclei (p800), and the cytosol fractions (s13000) were analyzed by immunoblotting.
Infection of cells with recombinant vaccinia viruses. Confluent HuTK143B cells were split 1:6 and grown for 24 h at 37°C. Cells were washed once with PBS (pH 7.3) and subsequently infected with recombinant vaccinia viruses diluted in serum-free DMEM at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1 for each virus. After incubation for 1 h at room temperature, virus-containing medium was replaced by supplemented DMEM. After the indicated period of time at 37°C, membranes were isolated and treated with alkaline buffer as described.
Preparation of VLPs and pseudovirions. HPV33 pseudovirions were generated in vivo as described previously (17, 47). HPV16 pseudovirions were prepared following the protocol of Buck et al. (6). VLPs were extracted from HuTK143B cells infected with indicated recombinant vaccinia viruses for 48 h as described. BrdU-labeled HPV16 pseudovirions were prepared as described previously (10).
Sucrose gradient analysis. Incorporation of L2 into HPV33 pseudovirions and VLPs was determined by sucrose gradient analysis, as published recently (2).
Plasmid extraction from pseudovirions and transformation of Escherichia coli. Plasmid extraction from pseudovirions and transformation of E. coli were performed as described (35).
Pseudoinfection assay. Cells were grown in 24-well plates (5 x 104 cells/well) and infected with 5 µl of the pseudovirus preparation in a total volume of 300 µl of serum-free DMEM. After 1 h at 4°C, the pseudovirions were replaced by 1 ml of supplemented culture medium. Subsequently, cells were grown for 72 h at 37°C before infectious events were determined by counting cells with nuclear green fluorescence.
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FIG. 1. L2 is not required for viral uncoating but is necessary for egress from the endocytic pathway. HPV16 particles composed of both L1 and L2 capsid proteins (panels A to C) or particles composed of only the L1 protein (panels D to F) were prepared with encapsidated BrdU-labeled DNA. Particles were added to HP3 cells for 24 h. Disassembled virus is detected with anti-BrdU antibodies (panels A and D). Entry of the viral DNA into the nucleus is monitored by colocalization of the genome with PML (shown in panels B and E), a marker of ND10. The merges are shown in panels C and F.
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FIG. 2. The L2 C terminus is required for efficient papillomavirus infection. (A) Comparison of dhvar5 and selected HPV L2 peptides. Numbers to the right indicate LC50s using Candida albicans. (B) The infectivity of HPV16 and HPV33 pseudovirions harboring the indicated capsid proteins was quantified. Values shown were normalized to the amount of encapsidated marker plasmid DNA to correct for variation in pseudovirus yields.
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Conserved function of the L2 C terminus. To monitor the importance of this region of L2 for infection by other papillomavirus types, we generated HPV33 pseudoviruses harboring mutant 33L2 proteins carrying truncations at the C terminus (33L2-1/449 and 33L2-1/420) or point mutations at positions 452 and 453 in the basic cluster (33L2-DD452). Again, infectivity of the mutant HPV33 pseudoviruses was reduced to the level of L1-only pseudovirions for the deletion and point mutations (Fig. 2B), even though DNA encapsidation and L2 incorporation were not negatively affected (data not shown). These data suggest that this region of L2 plays a vital role in the infectious process. As shown here for HPV33 and HPV16, this is a conserved feature of papillomaviruses. Additionally, it was previously shown that deletion of the C-terminal basic cluster of BPV-1 L2 (BPVL2-1/460) also abrogated infection (30). Pseudovirions produced with a C-terminally truncated L2 protein were shown to assemble with L1 with normal stoichiometry and encapsidate wild-type levels of DNA but were noninfectious due to an undetermined deficit.
We recently showed that Hsc70 transiently associates with the C terminus of L2 during virion assembly (14). Therefore, we examined whether this interaction was abrogated by the L2 mutation, as this could conceivably result in a misfolded particle. However, we found that Hsc70 accompanied 33L2-DD452 to the nucleus and cosedimented with VLPs in a manner indistinguishable from wt 33L2, suggesting that Hsc70 also interacts with this mutant (data not shown). As previously reported by us, Hsc70 is not associated with C-terminally truncated L2 protein (14).
To confirm that the C-terminally truncated L2 mutant pseudovirions are noninfectious due to a defect in endosome escape, we examined the localization and trafficking of BPV particles that harbored a C-terminally truncated L2 (Fig. 3). Unsurprisingly, uncoating occurred normally with a clear appearance of genome and L2 in endocytic vesicles. However, similar to that seen for the viral genome packaged in the L1-only particles, the truncated L2 protein was retained in an endosomal compartment. Therefore, it seems likely that this region of L2 is responsible for mediating the passage of the genome and itself across the vesicular membrane. Double staining experiments with an anti-lamp-2 antibody indicated that this staining pattern represented retention of L2 in late endosomal and/or lysosomal vesicles (Fig. 3). We also analyzed the trafficking properties of the HPV16 pseudovirions assembled with the truncated L2. The microscopic analysis confirmed that pseudovirus made with these L2 proteins was also defective at exit from endocytic vesicles. Additionally, the two amino acid changes within this region of 16L2 generated pseudovirions with identical phenotypes (data not shown).
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FIG. 3. The C-terminal truncation of BPV L2 prevents exit from the endocytic compartment. C127 cells were allowed to internalize BPV-1 L1+L2-1/460-HA (A to C) or BPV-1 L1-wtL2-HA (D to F) pseudovirions for 24 h. The HA-tagged L2 protein was detected with an anti-HA monoclonal antibody (panels A and D). The staining was colocalized with lamp-2 as a marker for the late endosomal and lysosomal vesicles (panels B and E). The merged images are shown in panels C and F.
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FIG. 4. Listing of peptides used throughout the study. Mutations introduced into the HPV33 L2-445/467 peptide are highlighted in boldface type.
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FIG. 5. Cytotoxicity of peptides. (A) HeLa cells were incubated with the indicated concentrations of crude preparations of peptides (70% purity) for 15 h at the indicated pH. Intracellular ATP levels were determined using a luciferase-based assay. (B) Highly purified peptides (>95% purity) were added to HeLa cells for 15 h at pH 7.2 at the indicated concentrations, and ATP levels were determined. ATP levels from mock-treated cells were set at 100%. (C) Propidium iodide was added to HeLa cells treated with the indicated concentrations of 33L2-445/467 for 5 h at pH 7.2. The influx of propidium iodide into cells was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis.
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TABLE 1. Permeability of HeLa cells to propidium iodide after peptide treatment
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FIG. 6. Membrane association of GFP2-33L2-445/467. (A) COS7 cells were transfected with pEGFP-C1 (GFP), pGFP2-33L2-1/14 (GFP2L2-1/14), -33L2-449/456 (GFP2L2-449/456), or -33L2-445/467 (GFP2L2-445/467). GFP fluorescence was determined at 24 h posttransfection (upper panel). Cells displayed in the three lower panels were additionally stained for syndecan-1 or EEA-1. Colocalization of syndecan-1 with GFP2-33L2-445/467 is indicated by arrows. (B) The percentage of necrotic cells transfected with the indicated plasmids was determined.
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FIG. 7. GFP-L2 fusion proteins copurify with membranes. Membranes were isolated from COS7 cells transfected with the indicated GFP constructs and subjected to a sucrose step gradient centrifugation. Fractions were analyzed by Western blotting using calnexin- or GFP-specific antibodies. C-terminally truncated L2 peptides induce membrane association of GFP fusions.
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FIG. 8. Wild-type but not C-terminally truncated L2 are integrated into membranes. (A) Isolated membranes from transfected COS7 cells were treated with alkaline buffer, pH 11.5, prior to Western blot analysis. C-terminally truncated L2 peptides induce integration of GFP fusion protein. (B) HuTK143B cells were infected with vaccinia virus recombinant for the indicated HPV33 capsid genes. Membranes were isolated, alkaline treated, and analyzed by Western blotting using calnexin-, L1-, or L2-specific antibodies.
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The characteristic features of the C-terminally truncated L2 peptide are distinct in comparison with other membrane-affecting peptides. The latter are mostly amphipathic in nature, i.e., have alternating basic and hydrophobic amino acids and often form a pore or channel through the membrane bilayer. In contrast, the L2 peptide is composed of a cluster of basic amino acids adjacent to at least one cluster of hydrophobic amino acids. Both regions are required for full activity of the peptide. At present, the mechanism of membrane permeabilization is unclear. A likely possibility is that the positive charge of the basic amino acid cluster mediates tight association with negatively charged lipids of membranes and that subsequent insertion of the hydrophobic cluster(s) into membranes induces a torsional stress, which results in membrane disruption. The peptide concentrations required for cytotoxicity suggest that it probably functions via the carpet or detergent-like mechanism rather than pore formation resulting in the collapse of the target membrane (41). Future experiments utilizing artificial membranes and purified L2 and/or L2 peptides should allow identification of the lipids required for the peptide's activity and determination of the size of the rupture or pore that is subsequently formed. This, in turn, would allow insight into the precise mechanism of peptide action. Using liposomes, it was recently shown for dhvar5 that negatively charged phospholipids are required for the peptide to translocate across and permeabilize membranes (12).
Introduction of mutations within the peptide, which abrogate the membrane perturbation, have pronounced effects on the infectivity of pseudovirions. Mutations within this region that do not interfere with membrane destabilization also do not show any defect in infectivity (data not shown). The observed effects are not at the level of virion assembly, since mutant L2 incorporation and DNA encapsidation were not negatively affected. To exclude that mutations within the 23-amino-acid peptide prevent Hsc70/L2 interaction, thus interfering with a functional conformation of the virion-incorporated L2, we also determined that the transient complex formation of Hsc70 and L2 was unaffected by the mutations. We previously identified a role of the constitutively expressed chaperone Hsc70 in L2 nuclear translocation and subsequent L2 incorporation into papillomavirus particles and found that it exerts its function through interaction with the C terminus of L2 (14). The observation that this interaction is unaffected suggests that the observed defect in the infectivity of pseudovirions is not due to an effect on viral morphogenesis.
We also excluded that the introduced mutations interfere with pseudovirion adsorption and internalization into target cells. Capsids were taken up with equal efficiency as wt pseudovirions. This is in agreement with previous reports that L2 does not contribute to the initial steps of papillomavirus infection (29, 32). The C terminus of L2 is probably located within the assembled capsid (25), and a recent report confirms that this region is only accessible to antibody binding relatively late in infection, after virion disassembly has commenced (10). Since accessibility of L2 coincides with the detection of encapsidated genomes, uncoating is likely to be a prerequisite for the membrane-disrupting function of L2. Whereas a fraction of wt L2 escapes intracellular vesicles together with the viral genome, resulting in nuclear translocation, genomes encapsidated by wt L1 alone or wt L1 and C-terminally truncated L2 mutants are not able to pass this cellular membrane. Since the HA tag on the truncated L2 can be detected after infection with mutant pseudovirions, the introduction of the truncation does not interfere with uncoating. In this instance, the L2 colocalizes with lamp-2 at late time points. Furthermore, viral DNA is retained within vesicles after the addition of HPV16 L1-only pseudovirions. Taken together, these data are strongly suggestive that the defect is at the level of endosome escape. Even though colocalization of L2 and viral DNA with lamp-2 is observed after infection with truncated L2 pseudovirions, it is not clear if the viral genome and L2 escape from the late endosomes or if it reflects the compartment where the mutant L2 and DNA accumulate after failing to leave the endocytic system.
Our recent observations that Hsc70 accompanies L2 to the nucleus by binding to its C terminus (14), in addition to the data presented here, point to Hsc70 as a key regulator of L2 function. Hsc70 binding may mask L2's membrane-destabilizing activity during the productive phase of the life cycle, preventing premature integration of L2 into membranes and thus allowing virus assembly. Since Hsc70 is not incorporated into virions, it cannot interfere with the endosomolytic activity of L2 once the virus is partially disassembled.
Although long recognized as essential for infection, the study of the passage across the limiting membrane by nonenveloped viruses or their components has been difficult, and as a result, little insight has been acquired for most of these viruses. The best-studied virus in this respect is poliovirus, whose interaction with its cellular receptor PVR/CD155 induces a defined, temperature-sensitive conformational change in two of the viral capsid proteins, VP1 and VP4. Hydrophobic amino acids exposed by this structural change insert into the host cell membrane and form a pore, which can be used by ions and the viral RNA to pass through the membrane (3, 43, 45). Reports are still conflicting if this process occurs at the plasma membrane or from within endocytic vesicles after internalization. Due to structural and sequence homology, similar processes are believed to occur in other members of the Picornaviridae (4, 5). In addition, adenoviruses have long been known to induce endosomolysis in the target cell. A role of the viral capsid protein, penton base, and the virus-encoded 23-kDa adenovirus cysteine protease in this process has been suggested (18, 39, 40). In addition, the adenovirus uptake receptor
vß5 integrin is required for efficient endosomal release of adenoviruses (50, 51). Recently, it was demonstrated that an amphipathic peptide within the capsid protein VI mediates membrane disruption (52). This capsid protein is initially incorporated into capsids as a preprotein which requires cleavage by the 23-kDa cysteine protease for activation, explaining the important role of the protease in endosomal escape mechanisms.
In contrast to the amphipathic or exclusively hydrophobic nature of virus-encoded membrane-disrupting activities in adenoviruses and polioviruses, respectively, the herein identified L2 peptide of papillomaviruses contains adjacent hydrophobic and basic clusters of amino acids. It may, therefore, represent a new class of virus-encoded proteins mediating membrane destabilization to facilitate egress from endosomes. This report, in addition to its contribution to the understanding of the papillomavirus life cycle, may also help to elucidate the mechanisms of membrane passage of other nonenveloped DNA viruses.
This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to M.S. (SFB490/B5).
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