title: Varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein M.
abstract: Glycoprotein M (gM) is conserved among herpesviruses. Important features are its 6-8 transmembrane domains without a large extracellular domain, localization to the virion envelope, complex formation with another envelope glycoprotein, glycoprotein N (gN), and role in virion assembly and egress. In varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the gM homolog is encoded by ORF50. VZV gM is predicted to be an eight-transmembrane envelope glycoprotein with a complex N-linked oligosaccharide. It mainly localizes to the trans-Golgi network, where final virion envelopment occurs. Studies in which VZV gM or its partner gN were disrupted suggest that the gM/gN complex plays an important role in cell-to-cell spread. Here, we summarize the biological features of VZV gM, including our recent findings on its characterization and function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Virology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0017, Japan. ymori@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sadaoka
mesh_terms: D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology*; D021601:trans-Golgi Network / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins