Mouse hepatitis virus gene 5b protein is a new virion envelope protein.
Highly purified radiolabeled mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) A59 contained a previously overlooked protein which coelectrophoreses with the gene 5b product immunoprecipitated from infected cells. The gene 5b protein is post-translationally acylated. Rabbit antibody raised against a recombinant gene 5b protein expressed in Escherichia coli neutralized viral infectivity in the presence of complement, although not in the absence of complement. Immunofluorescent staining of MHV-infected cells with two anti-peptide antibodies revealed that the gene 5b product is membrane-associated and is transported to the cell surface, findings consistent with the prediction of a membrane-spanning segment in the gene 5b polypeptide. These results suggest strongly that the gene 5b polypeptide represents a new MHV virion envelope protein which is homologous to the TGEV ORF 4 and IBV 3c proteins.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston 77225.
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X
Yu
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Bi
S R
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Weiss
J L
JL
Leibowitz
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000737:chemistry*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C088325:gene 5b protein, hepatitis virus