title: White spot syndrome virus VP24 interacts with VP28 and is involved in virus infection.
abstract: White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is one of the most virulent pathogens causing high mortality in shrimp. Herein, the characterization of VP24, a major structural protein of WSSV, is described. When purified virions were subjected to Nonidet P-40 treatment to separate the envelopes from the nucleocapsids, VP24 was found to be present exclusively in the envelope fraction. Triton X-114 extraction also indicated that VP24 behaves as an envelope protein. Immunoelectron microscopy further confirmed that VP24 is located in the virion envelope. Far-Western experiments showed that VP24 interacts with VP28, another major envelope protein of the WSSV virion. To investigate the function of VP24, WSSV was neutralized with various amounts of anti-VP24 IgG and injected into crayfish. The results showed that anti-VP24 IgG could partially attenuate infection with WSSV. It is concluded that VP24 is an envelope protein and functions at an early stage in virus infection.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, Xiamen University, 178 Daxue Road, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xixian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea; D001483:Base Sequence; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D033561:Penaeidae; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence; D046848:White spot syndrome virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins