title: Vaccinia virus kelch protein A55 is a 64 kDa intracellular factor that affects virus-induced cytopathic effect and the outcome of infection in a murine intradermal model.
abstract: The vaccinia virus (VACV) protein A55 is a BTB/kelch protein with a broad-complex, tramtrack and bric-a-brac (BTB) domain in the N-terminal region and five kelch repeats in the C-terminal half. The BTB/kelch subgroup of the kelch superfamily of proteins has been associated with a wide variety of functions including regulation of the cytoskeleton. VACV contains three genes predicted to encode BTB/kelch proteins: A55R, F3L and C2L. The A55R gene product has been identified as an intracellular protein of 64 kDa that is expressed late in infection. A VACV strain lacking 93.6% of the A55R open reading frame (vdeltaA55) was constructed and found to have an unaltered growth rate in vivo but a different plaque morphology and cytopathic effect, as well as reduced development of VACV-induced Ca2+-independent cell/extracellular matrix adhesion. In a murine intradermal model of VACV infection, a virus lacking the A55R gene induced larger lesions than wild-type and revertant control viruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.
authors.forename: Philippa M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Beard
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.
authors.forename: Graham C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Froggatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.
authors.forename: Geoffrey L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017193:Skin Diseases, Viral / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C477906:kelch-like protein C2L, vaccinia virus