title: Another triple-spanning envelope protein among intracellularly budding RNA viruses: the torovirus E protein.
abstract: The nucleotide sequence of the Berne virus envelope (E) protein gene was determined and its 26.5K translation product was identified by in vitro transcription and translation. Computer analysis of the protein sequence revealed the characteristics of a class III membrane protein lacking a cleaved signal sequence but containing three successive transmembrane alpha-helices in the N-terminal half, much the same as the coronavirus membrane (M) protein. The disposition of the E protein in the membrane was studied by in vitro translation in the presence of microsomes and by subsequent proteinase K digestion. Only small portions of either end of the polypeptide were found to be exposed on opposite sides of the vesicle membranes. Experiments with a hybrid E protein (EM) containing the C-terminal tail of a coronavirus M protein, to which an anti-peptide serum was available, showed that this C-terminus was present at the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, which is another similarity to the coronavirus M protein. Immunofluorescence experiments indicated that the EM protein, expressed by a recombinant vaccinia virus, accumulated in intracellular membranes, predominantly those of the endoplasmic reticulum. The common features of the torovirus E and the coronavirus M protein support our hypothesis that an evolutionary relationship exists between these groups of intracellularly budding viruses.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, State University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Den Boon
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Snijder
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Locker
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Horzinek
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rottier
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005814:Genes, Viral; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; D004247:DNA