Identification of the fusion domain in the visna virus transmembrane protein.
Visna virus, a lentivirus of sheep, causes fusion of susceptible cells. Fusion has previously been shown to be mediated by the viral envelope glycoprotein. The transmembrane protein of visna virus contains a hydrophobic region at its amino terminus. This region is similar to the fusion epitopes of the orthomyxoviruses and paramyxoviruses. This region is located in a position similar to that of the fusion epitopes in the transmembrane proteins of HIV-1 and SIV. To determine the role of this hydrophobic region in visna virus-induced cell fusion, a peptide of 24 amino acids corresponding to this region was synthesized. The peptide alone induces fusion of goat cells. Antibodies to this peptide inhibit both viral-induced cell fusion and peptide fusion in goat cells. Further, the direct fusion of cells by this peptide is a unique observation and may be useful for studying the fusion epitopes of other lentiviruses. Thus, this hydrophobic region appears to be one epitope responsible for visna virus-induced cell fusion.
Crane
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Division of Comparative Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
Kanda
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Clements
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014790:Visna-maedi virus / Q000502:physiology*
D000906:Antibodies; D010455:Peptides; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins