This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Voigt, S.
Right arrow Articles by Burns, W. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Voigt, S.
Right arrow Articles by Burns, W. H.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Virology, January 2001, p. 603-611, Vol. 75, No. 2
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.2.603-611.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Identification and Characterization of a Spliced C-Type Lectin-Like Gene Encoded by Rat Cytomegalovirus

Sebastian Voigt, Gordon R. Sandford, Lijun Ding, and William H. Burns*

BMT Program, Departments of Medicine and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226

Received 26 June 2000/Accepted 19 October 2000

The English isolate of rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV) encodes a 20-kDa protein with a C-type lectin-like domain that is expressed in the delayed-early and late phases of the viral replication cycle. Genomic sequence analysis of the restriction fragment KpnR of RCMV revealed significant homology to several C-type lectin-containing molecules implicated in natural killer (NK) and T-cell interactions, as well as genes from four poxviruses and African swine fever virus. The gene is spliced into five exons and shows a splicing pattern with exon boundaries similar to those observed in the human differentiation antigen CD69. The cap site of the gene was mapped by RNase protection, 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends, and primer extension experiments. This analysis demonstrated that the core promoter of the RCMV lectin-like gene contains a GATA rather than a TATA box. Splicing patterns were confirmed with isolates from an infected-cell cDNA library. A unique aspect of the protein is that its translation is not initiated by the canonical methionine but rather by alanine. To study its role in virus replication and pathogenesis, a recombinant virus was constructed in which the gene is interrupted. Replication in tissue culture was similar to that of wild-type virus.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: MFRC 6033, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226. Phone: (414) 456-4989. Fax: (414) 456-6533. E-mail: wburns{at}mcw.edu.

Journal of Virology, January 2001, p. 603-611, Vol. 75, No. 2
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.2.603-611.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Brocchieri, L., Kledal, T. N., Karlin, S., Mocarski, E. S. (2005). Predicting Coding Potential from Genome Sequence: Application to Betaherpesviruses Infecting Rats and Mice. J. Virol. 79: 7570-7596 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Voigt, S., Sandford, G. R., Hayward, G. S., Burns, W. H. (2005). The English strain of rat cytomegalovirus (CMV) contains a novel captured CD200 (vOX2) gene and a spliced CC chemokine upstream from the major immediate-early region: further evidence for a separate evolutionary lineage from that of rat CMV Maastricht. J. Gen. Virol. 86: 263-274 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Afonso, C. L., Delhon, G., Tulman, E. R., Lu, Z., Zsak, A., Becerra, V. M., Zsak, L., Kutish, G. F., Rock, D. L. (2005). Genome of Deerpox Virus. J. Virol. 79: 966-977 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Holzerlandt, R., Orengo, C., Kellam, P., Alba, M. M. (2002). Identification of New Herpesvirus Gene Homologs in the Human Genome. Genome Res 12: 1739-1748 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sandford, G. R., Brock, L. E., Voigt, S., Forester, C. M., Burns, W. H. (2001). Rat Cytomegalovirus Major Immediate-Early Enhancer Switching Results in Altered Growth Characteristics. J. Virol. 75: 5076-5083 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»