title: Nuclear entry mechanism of the human polyomavirus JC virus-like particle: role of importins and the nuclear pore complex.
abstract: JC virus (JCV) belongs to the polyomavirus family of double-stranded DNA viruses and causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in humans. Although transport of virions to the nucleus is an important step in JCV infection, the mechanism of this process has remained unclear. The outer shell of the JCV virion comprises the major capsid protein VP1, which possesses a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS), and virus-like particles (VLPs) consisting of recombinant VP1 exhibit a virion-like structure and physiological functions (cellular attachment and intracytoplasmic trafficking) similar to those of JCV virions. We have now investigated the mechanism of nuclear transport of JCV with the use of VLPs. Wild-type VLPs (wtVLPs) entered the nucleus of most HeLa or SVG cells. The virion structure of VLPs was preserved during transport to the nucleus as revealed by confocal microscopy of cells inoculated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled wtVLPs containing packaged Cy3. The nuclear transport of wtVLPs in digitonin-permeabilized cells was dependent on the addition of importins alpha and beta and was prevented by wheat germ agglutinin or by antibodies to the nuclear pore complex. The nuclear entry of VLPs composed of VP1 with a mutated NLS was greatly inhibited, compared with that of wtVLPs, in both intact and permeabilized cells. Unlike wtVLPs, the mutant VLPs did not bind to importins alpha or beta. Limited proteolysis analysis revealed that the NLS of VP1 was exposed on the surface of wtVLPs. These results suggest that JCV VLPs bind to cellular importins via the NLS of VP1 and are transported into the nucleus through the nuclear pore complex.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, and CREST, JST, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
authors.forename: Qiumin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: Tadaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semba
authors.forename: Chizuka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henmi
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Atwood
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004072:Digitonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007577:JC Virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals / Q000502:physiology; D022022:Nuclear Pore / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure; D028901:alpha Karyopherins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D028901:alpha Karyopherins; D004072:Digitonin