Dissemination of MHV4 (strain JHM) infection does not require specific coronavirus receptors.
In this report, we demonstrate the syncytial spread of MHV4 (strain JHM) infection through non-murine cell cultures which lack a specific MHV4 receptor and are therefore resistant to infection by free virions. This was achieved by allowing infected murine cells to settle onto confluent monolayers of non-murine cells in a straightforward infectious center assay. Receptor-independent syncytium formation induced by cells expressing the MHV4 spike (S) from recombinant vaccinia viruses (VV) indicated that spread was mediated by this coronavirus glycoprotein. We conclude that the S protein of MHV4 is so potently fusogenic that it does not require prior binding to a virus-specific surface receptor to induce fusion of closely-opposed plasma membranes.
Gallagher
T M
TM
Department of Neuropharmacology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037.
Buchmeier
M J
MJ
Perlman
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001254:Astrocytoma; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002460:Cell Line / Q000382:microbiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007668:Kidney; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008647:Mesocricetus; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D000085064:Receptors, Coronavirus; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000382:microbiology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D000085064:Receptors, Coronavirus; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV; C578553:spike protein, mouse hepatitis virus