Murid herpesvirus 4 strain 68 M2 protein is a B-cell-associated antigen important for latency but not lymphocytosis.
This work describes analyses of the function of the murid herpesvirus 4 strain 68 (MHV-68) M2 gene. A frameshift mutation was made in the M2 open reading frame that caused premature termination of translation of M2 after amino acid residue 90. The M2 mutant showed no defect in productive replication in vitro or in lungs after infection of mice. Likewise, the characteristic transient increase in spleen cell number, Vbeta4 T-cell-receptor-positive CD8(+) T-cell mononucleosis, and establishment of latency were unaffected. However, the M2 mutant virus was defective in its ability to cause the transient sharp rise in latently infected cells normally seen in the spleen after infection of mice. We also demonstrate that expression of M2 is restricted to B cells in the spleen and that M2 encodes a 30-kDa protein localizing predominantly in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane of B cells.
Macrae
Alastair I
AI
Department of Medical Microbiology and Genitourinary Medicine, Centre for Comparative Infectious Diseases, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Usherwood
Edward J
EJ
Husain
S Mazher
SM
Flaño
Emilio
E
Kim
In-Jeong
IJ
Woodland
David L
DL
Nash
Anthony A
AA
Blackman
Marcia A
MA
Sample
Jeffery T
JT
Stewart
James P
JP
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000209:etiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009154:Mutation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014162:Transfection; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins