title: The matrix protein of vesicular stomatitis virus inhibits nucleocytoplasmic transport when it is in the nucleus and associated with nuclear pore complexes.
abstract: The matrix (M) protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a potent inhibitor of bidirectional nuclear transport. Here we demonstrate that inhibition occurs when M protein is in the nucleus of Xenopus laevis oocytes and that M activity is readily reversed by a monoclonal antibody (alphaM). We identify a region of M protein, amino acids 51 to 59, that is required both for inhibition of transport and for efficient recognition by alphaM. When expressed in transfected HeLa cells, M protein colocalizes with nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) at the nuclear rim. Moreover, mutation of a single amino acid, methionine 51, eliminates both transport inhibition and targeting to NPCs. We propose that M protein inhibits bidirectional transport by interacting with a component of the NPC or an NPC-associated factor that participates in nucleocytoplasmic transport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1532, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Her
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Varvel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dahlberg
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D022003:Cell Nucleus Structures / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D017354:Point Mutation; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C094460:M protein, Vesicular stomatitis virus; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins