title: RNA binding properties of the US11 protein from four primate simplexviruses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The protein encoded by the Us11 gene of herpes simplex viruses is a dsRNA binding protein which inhibits protein kinase R activity, thereby preventing the interferon-induced shut down of protein synthesis following viral infection. Us11 protein is not essential for infectivity in vitro and in mice in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), however this virus has a second, and apparently more important, inhibitor of PKR activity, the γ134.5 protein. Recently sequenced simian simplexviruses SA8, HVP2 and B virus do not have an ORF corresponding to the γ134.5 protein, yet they have similar, or greater, infectivity as HSV1 and HSV2.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have expressed the US11 proteins of the simplexviruses HSV1, HSV2, HVP2 and B virus and measured their abilities to bind dsRNA, in order to investigate possible differences that could complement the absence of the γ134.5 protein. We employed a filter binding technique that allows binding of the Us11 protein under condition of excess dsRNA substrate and therefore a measurement of the true Kd value of Us11-dsRNA binding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show a Kd of binding in the range of 0.89 nM to 1.82 nM, with no significant difference among the four Us11 proteins.
authors: National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3R2, Canada.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Tohme
authors: Cyprian D
authors: CD
authors: Cukier
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Severini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002521:Cercopithecus; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D011485:Protein Binding; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C074546:US11 protein, herpesvirus; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012313:RNA