title: Identification of the major capsid protein gene of human cytomegalovirus.
abstract: The coding region for the major capsid protein (MCP) of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was identified by comparing the protein sequence with the respective sequences of herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus, and varicella-zoster virus. The predicted length of the HCMV MCP was 1,370 amino acids. Comparison of the MCP sequences of the different human herpesviruses showed a homology of 25% to the MCP of HSV type 1, a homology of 29% to the MCP of Epstein-Barr virus, and a homology of 23% to the MCP of varicella-zoster virus. A subfragment of the HSV type 1 KpnI i fragment encoding the MCP VP5 cross-hybridized with the HCMV HindIII U fragment containing part of the MCP gene. Northern (RNA) blot analyses with subclones out of the coding region for the HCMV MCP detected one large transcript of about 8 kilobases. A portion of the open reading frame was expressed in Escherichia coli plasmid pBD2 IC2OH as a beta-galactosidase fusion protein and was used to generate polyclonal antibodies in New Zealand White rabbits. The obtained antisera reacted in Western immunoblots with the MCP of purified HCMV virions. A monoclonal antibody against the human MCP and a monospecific rabbit antiserum against strain Colburn of simian cytomegalovirus detected the fusion protein as well as the MCP of purified virions in immunoblots.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rudolph
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Plachter
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barrell
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jahn
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002213:Capsid / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015183:Restriction Mapping
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins