title: Open reading frame S/L of varicella-zoster virus encodes a cytoplasmic protein expressed in infected cells.
abstract: We report the discovery of a novel gene in the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) genome, designated open reading frame (ORF) S/L. This gene, located at the left end of the prototype VZV genome isomer, expresses a polyadenylated mRNA containing a splice within the 3' untranslated region in virus-infected cells. Sequence analysis reveals significant differences between the ORF S/Ls of wild-type and attenuated strains of VZV. Antisera raised to a bacterially expressed portion of ORF S/L reacted specifically with a 21-kDa protein synthesized in cells infected with a VZV clinical isolate and with the original vaccine strain of VZV (Oka-ATCC). Cells infected with other VZV strains, including a wild-type strain that has been extensively passaged in tissue culture and commercially produced vaccine strains of Oka, synthesize a family of proteins ranging in size from 21 to 30 kDa that react with the anti-ORF S/L antiserum. MeWO cells infected with recombinant VZV harboring mutations in the C-terminal region of the ORF S/L gene lost adherence to the stratum and adjacent cells, resulting in an altered plaque morphology. Immunohistochemical analysis of VZV-infected cells demonstrated that ORF S/L protein localizes to the cytoplasm. ORF S/L protein was present in skin lesions of individuals with primary or reactivated infection and in the neurons of a dorsal root ganglion during virus reactivation.
authors.affiliation: Aviron, Mountain View, California 94043, USA.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Kemble
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Annunziato
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lungu
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Spaete
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000737:chemistry; D016679:Genome, Viral; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D014709:Vero Cells; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins