title: The pseudorabies virus UL11 protein is a virion component involved in secondary envelopment in the cytoplasm.
abstract: Homologs of the small tegument protein encoded by the UL11 gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 are conserved throughout all herpesvirus subfamilies. However, their function during viral replication has not yet been conclusively shown. Using a monospecific antiserum and an appropriate viral deletion and rescue mutant, we identified and functionally characterized the UL11 protein of the alphaherpesvirus pseudorabies virus (PrV). PrV UL11 encodes a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 10 to 13 kDa that is primarily detected at cytoplasmic membranes during viral replication. In the absence of the UL11 protein, viral titers were decreased approximately 10-fold and plaque sizes were reduced by 60% compared to wild-type virus. Intranuclear capsid maturation and nuclear egress resulting in translocation of DNA-containing capsids into the cytoplasm were not detectably affected. However, in the absence of the UL11 protein, intracytoplasmic membranes were distorted. Moreover, in PrV-DeltaUL11-infected cells, capsids accumulated in the cytoplasm and were often found associated with tegument in aggregated structures such as had previously been demonstrated in cells infected with a PrV triple-mutant virus lacking glycoproteins E, I, and M (A. R. Brack, J. M. Dijkstra, H. Granzow, B. G. Klupp, and T. C. Mettenleiter, J. Virol. 73:5364-5372, 1999). Thus, the PrV UL11 protein, like glycoproteins E, I, and M, appears to be involved in secondary envelopment.
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Molecular Biology. Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institutes, Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals, D-17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Granzow
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Barbara G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Klupp
authors.forename: Egbert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mundt
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karger
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mettenleiter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D011558:Herpesvirus 1, Suid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: C073414:UL11 protein, herpesviridae; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins