title: Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 ORF28 encodes a non-essential virion glycoprotein.
abstract: Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) ORF28 is a gammaherpesvirus-specific gene of unknown function. Analysis of epitope-tagged ORF28 protein indicated that it was membrane-associated and incorporated into virions in N-glycosylated, O-glycosylated and unglycosylated forms. The extensive glycosylation of the small ORF28 extracellular domain--most forms of the protein appeared to be mainly carbohydrate by weight--suggested that a major function of ORF28 is to attach a variety of glycans to the virion surface. MHV-68 lacking ORF28 showed normal lytic replication in vitro and in vivo and normal latency establishment. MHV-68 ORF28 therefore encodes a small, membrane-bound and extensively glycosylated virion protein, whose function is entirely dispensable for normal, single-cycle host colonization.
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boname
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
authors.forename: Philip G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009154:Mutation; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism*; D019065:Virus Assembly; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D014764:Viral Proteins