title: Characterization of the varicella-zoster virus gene 61 protein.
abstract: The protein predicted to be encoded by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) gene 61 exhibits limited amino acid sequence similarity to the herpes simplex virus type 1 nuclear phosphoprotein Vmw110, which functions as a transcriptional activator. The gene 61 protein was expressed in its entirety, or as an amino- or carboxy-terminal fragment in Escherichia coli and vaccinia virus recombinants, and monospecific rabbit antisera were raised against an E. coli fusion between beta-galactosidase and the majority of the gene 61 protein. Use of the antisera showed that the gene 61 protein is present in VZV-infected cell nuclei as a heterogeneous phospho-protein of Mr62K to 65K. Phosphorylation occurs in the amino- and, to a lesser extent, carboxy-terminal portions of the protein. The carboxy-terminal region directs transport of the protein to the nucleus, whereas the amino-terminal region, which contains a potential zinc-binding domain, is responsible for a punctate distribution. Preliminary mapping data indicated that gene 61 is transcribed as a 1.8 kb mRNA which initiates about 65 bp upstream from the translation initiation codon, at a position located appropriately with respect to potential regulatory elements.
authors.affiliation: MRC Virology Unit, University of Glasgow, U.K.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Colman
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Davison
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000235:genetics*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C073411:protein 61, Varicella-zoster virus