title: Plant virus cell-to-cell movement is not dependent on the transmembrane disposition of its movement protein.
abstract: The cell-to-cell transport of plant viruses depends on one or more virus-encoded movement proteins (MPs). Some MPs are integral membrane proteins that interact with the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum, but a detailed understanding of the interaction between MPs and biological membranes has been lacking. The cell-to-cell movement of the Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) is facilitated by a single MP of the 30K superfamily. Here, using a myriad of biochemical and biophysical approaches, we show that the PNRSV MP contains only one hydrophobic region (HR) that interacts with the membrane interface, as opposed to being a transmembrane protein. We also show that a proline residue located in the middle of the HR constrains the structural conformation of this region at the membrane interface, and its replacement precludes virus movement.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martínez-Gil
authors.forename: Jesús A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Navarro
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pallás
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez-Gil
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mingarro