Common epitopes of glycoprotein B map within the major DNA-binding proteins of bovine herpesvirus type 2 (BHV-2) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).
Bovine herpesvirus 2 (BHV-2) specifies a glycoprotein of 130 kDa (gB BHV-2) which shows extensive homology to glycoprotein B (gB-1) of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). The BHV-2-specific 130-kDa glycoprotein is able to induce cross-reacting antibodies, some of which even cross-neutralize HSV-1. In order to determine the genome localization of gB BHV-2 and in order to identify conserved antigenic domains in both glycoproteins, we established libraries of subgenic fragments of BHV-2 and HSV-1 DNA in the prokaryotic expression vector lambda gt11 and screened them with cross-reacting monoclonal antibodies which allowed us to identify recombinant lambda gt11 clones expressing gB fusion protein. Nucleotide sequencing of inserted DNA fragments within these recombinant lambda gt11 clones revealed that they originated from the carboxy-terminal part of the major DNA-binding proteins (dbp) of BHV-2 (dbp BHV-2) and its counterpart ICP8 in HSV-1. Antisera raised against the beta-galactosidase fusion protein of recombinant phage lambda-113/2 coding for an 84 amino acid (aa) polypeptide originating from dbp BHV-2 neutralized infectivity of BHV-2 and HSV-1 in the presence of complement and precipitated [3H] glucosamine-labeled gB BHV-2 and gB-1. This antiserum also reacts with ICP8 and presumably with dbp BHV-2. Two hypotheses are discussed to explain this unexpected result: (i) epitopes in the carboxy-terminal part of gB BHV-2 and gB-1 are similar to antigenic determinants in the amino-terminal region of the gBs, thus providing cross-reacting antibody-binding sites; (iii) during gene expression a carboxy-terminal part of dbp BHV-2 and ICP8 genes might be spliced to the amino-terminal region of the glycoproteins gB BHV-2 and gB-1.
Hammerschmidt
W
W
Institut für Virologie der Freien Universität, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany.
Conraths
F
F
Mankertz
J
J
Buhk
H J
HJ
Pauli
G
G
Ludwig
H
H
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D001911:Herpesvirus 2, Bovine / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus