Microheterogeneity of S-glycoprotein of mouse hepatitis virus temperature-sensitive mutants.
Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) strain JHM (MHV-JHM) is a neurotropic coronavirus that causes acute fatal encephalomyelitis in 75-99% of infected mice. The surviving animals may subsequently develop demyelinating disease. We compared the S peplomer protein of the wild type (wt) and five temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of MHV-JHM. In contrast with the wt, none of these five cause fatal disease (mortality less than 10%). Three of these ts mutants did not induce any demyelinating disease, a fourth caused demyelinating disease in 5% of the animals and a fifth, designated ts8, exhibited strong demyelinating properties and caused demyelination in 99% of the animals. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed no differences in the molecular weight of S peplomer protein of wt or ts MHV-JHM mutants. However, isoelectric focusing of the S protein of these five ts mutants and the wt MHV-JHM, followed by transfer to nitrocellulose sheets and immunoblotting with anti-S specific antibody revealed significant differences in the microheterogeneity of the S protein.
Oleszak
E L
EL
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77030.
Knisley
K
K
Rodkey
L S
LS
Leibowitz
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D007739:L Cells; D051379:Mice; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009154:Mutation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins