title: Expression of L* protein of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus in the chronic phase of infection.
abstract: The DA strain and other members of the TO subgroup of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus synthesize the L* protein from an alternative initiation codon. L* is considered to play a key role in viral persistence and demyelination in susceptible strains of mice, although this hypothesis is still controversial. By using a mutant virus that expresses FLAG epitope-tagged L*, it was demonstrated previously that L* is expressed exclusively in neurons in vivo in the acute phase of infection in the central nervous system (CNS). However, in the mutant virus, the C-H-C-C zinc-binding motif in the leader protein (L) was disrupted by the insertion of the FLAG epitope, resulting in clearance of the virus from the CNS. Therefore, a further two mutant viruses were newly generated, expressing FLAG epitope-tagged L* in which the C-H-C-C zinc-binding motif within L is spared. Both mutant viruses caused persistence and demyelination successfully in spinal cords and enabled us to identify L* immunohistochemically in the demyelinating lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asakura
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, Sendai City Hospital, Miyagi 984-0075, Japan.
authors.forename: Harunobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D017945:Theilovirus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C096897:L(asterisk) protein, Theiler's encephalomyelitis virus; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins