Expression of bovine herpesvirus type 1 glycoprotein gI in transfected bovine cells induces spontaneous cell fusion.
Bovine MDBK cells were transfected with Rous sarcoma virus-based vectors for constitutive expression of the bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) glycoprotein, gI. Cell lines stably expressing recombinant gI were cloned and characterized. Recombinant gI was localized intracellularly, predominantly in a perinuclear region, and on the cell surface. Cells expressing gI exhibited spontaneous polykaryon formation, thus confirming the fusogenic activity described previously in gI-expressing transfected murine LMTK- cells. The recombinant form of gI synthesized in transfected MDBK cells was similar in Mr to the form expressed in BHV-1-infected MDBK cells, unlike the recombinant form of gI expressed by LMTK- cells which is deficient in N-linked glycosylation. It was concluded that cell fusion associated with the expression of BHV-1 gI in transfected mammalian cells is a reproducible phenomenon in a number of cell types and is not due to species-specific factors or expression of abnormally glycosylated gI. Cell fusion is a useful in vitro marker for gI function and may contribute to the spread of BHV-1 infections in vivo.
Fitzpatrick
D R
DR
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Zamb
T J
TJ
Babiuk
L A
LA
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002460:Cell Line; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C050591:glycoprotein gG-1, herpes simplex virus type 1