title: Lassa virus Z protein is a matrix protein and sufficient for the release of virus-like particles [corrected].
abstract: Lassa virus is an enveloped virus with glycoprotein spikes on its surface. It contains an RNA ambisense genome that encodes the glycoprotein precursor GP-C, the nucleoprotein NP, the polymerase L, and the Z protein. Here we demonstrate that the Lassa virus Z protein (i). is abundant in viral particles, (ii). is strongly membrane associated, (iii). is sufficient in the absence of all other viral proteins to release enveloped particles, and (iv). contains two late domains, PTAP and PPXY, necessary for the release of virus-like particles. Our data provide evidence that Z is the Lassa virus matrix protein that is the driving force for virus particle release.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie der Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35037 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strecker
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eichler
authors.forename: Jan ter
authors.initials: Jt
authors.lastname: Meulen
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weissenhorn
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dieter Klenk
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Garten
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lenz
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007836:Lassa virus / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C117526:p11 Z protein, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus