Measles virus nucleocapsid transport to the plasma membrane requires stable expression and surface accumulation of the viral matrix protein.
In measles virus (MV)-infected cells the matrix (M) protein plays a key role in virus assembly and budding processes at the plasma membrane because it mediates the contact between the viral surface glycoproteins and the nucleocapsids. By exchanging valine 101, a highly conserved residue among all paramyxoviral M proteins, we generated a recombinant MV (rMV) from cloned cDNA encoding for a M protein with an increased intracellular turnover. The mutant rMV was barely released from the infected cells. This assembly defect was not due to a defective M binding to other matrix- or nucleoproteins, but could rather be assigned to a reduced ability to associate with cellular membranes, and more importantly, to a defective accumulation at the plasma membrane which was accompanied by the deficient transport of nucleocapsids to the cell surface. Thus, we show for the first time that M stability and accumulation at intracellular membranes is a prerequisite for M and nucleocapsid co-transport to the plasma membrane and for subsequent virus assembly and budding processes.
Runkler
Nicole
N
Institute of Virology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Strasse 2, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
Pohl
Christine
C
Schneider-Schaulies
Sibylle
S
Klenk
Hans-Dieter
HD
Maisner
Andrea
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D008459:Measles virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000378:metabolism*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins