Vaccinia virus N1L protein resembles a B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family protein.
Poxviruses encode immuno-modulatory proteins capable of subverting host defenses. The poxvirus vaccinia expresses a small 14-kDa protein, N1L, that is critical for virulence. We report the crystal structure of N1L, which reveals an unexpected but striking resemblance to host apoptotic regulators of the B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family. Although N1L lacks detectable Bcl-2 homology (BH) motifs at the sequence level, we show that N1L binds with high affinity to the BH3 peptides of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins in vitro, consistent with a role for N1L in modulating host antiviral defenses.
Aoyagi
Mika
M
Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Zhai
Dayong
D
Jin
Chaofang
C
Aleshin
Alexander E
AE
Stec
Boguslaw
B
Reed
John C
JC
Liddington
Robert C
RC
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D019281:Dimerization; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
C464479:N1L protein, Vaccinia virus; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014764:Viral Proteins