title: Interaction between tubulin and the viral matrix protein of vesicular stomatitis virus: possible implications in the viral cytopathic effect.
abstract: The matrix (M) protein of vesicular stomatitis virus has been shown to induce the rounding of cells. Experiments were performed in order to define the mechanism by which M protein could cause this cytopathic effect (CPE). Immunofluorescence experiments performed on infected cells indicate that cellular rounding coincides with the disruption of the microtubular network. Immunoprecipitation of M protein or tubulin in infected cell extract demonstrates an association of these two proteins in vivo. We show that M protein is capable of interacting in vitro with tubulin in both its polymerized and nonassembled forms. Studies using proteolytically cleaved proteins indicate that this interaction occurs via the highly basic N-terminal domain of M protein and the highly acidic C-terminal region of tubulin. Furthermore, a thermosensitive mutant (tsG33) containing a mutation in the matrix protein gene which is unable to induce CPE at nonpermissive temperature interacts with tubulin with a lower affinity. These results demonstrate that M protein interacts with tubulin in vivo and in vitro and strongly suggest that CPE is caused by this interaction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'enzymologie, CNRS, Gif Sur Yvette, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Melki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gaudin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blondel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003101:Collodion; D006224:Cricetinae; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D013381:Subtilisins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014404:Tubulin; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D003101:Collodion; D013381:Subtilisins