Efficient production of infectious viruses requires enzymatic activity of Epstein-Barr virus protein kinase.
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BGLF4 gene product is the only protein kinase encoded by the virus genome. In order to elucidate its physiological roles in viral productive replication, we here established a BGLF4-knockout mutant and a revertant virus. While the levels of viral DNA replication of the deficient mutant were equivalent to those of the wild-type and the revertant, virus production was significantly impaired. Expression of the BGLF4 protein in trans fully complemented the low yield of the mutant virus, while expression of a kinase-dead (K102I) form of the protein failed to restore the virus titer. These results demonstrate that BGLF4 plays a significant role in production of infectious viruses and that the kinase activity is crucial.
Division of Virology, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1, Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8681, Japan.
Takayuki
T
Murata
Hiroki
H
Isomura
Yoriko
Y
Yamashita
Shigenori
S
Toyama
Yoshitaka
Y
Sato
Sanae
S
Nakayama
Ayumi
A
Kudoh
Satoko
S
Iwahori
Teru
T
Kanda
Tatsuya
T
Tsurumi
D002460:Cell Line; D004261:DNA Replication; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D016679:Genome, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; C406063:BGLF4 protein, Epstein-Barr virus; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases