The role of glycoprotein H of equine herpesviruses 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) in cellular host range and integrin binding.
Equine herpesvirus type 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) glycoprotein H (gH) has been hypothesized to play a role in direct fusion of the virus envelope with cellular membranes. To investigate gH's role in infection, an EHV-1 mutant lacking gH was created and the gH genes were exchanged between EHV-1 and EHV-4 to determine if gH affects cellular entry and/or host range. In addition, a serine-aspartic acid-isoleucine (SDI) integrin-binding motif present in EHV-1 gH was mutated as it was presumed important in cell entry mediated by binding to α4β1 or α4β7 integrins. We here document that gH is essential for EHV-1 replication, plays a role in cell-to-cell spread and significantly affects plaque size and growth kinetics. Moreover, we could show that α4β1 and α4β7 integrins are not essential for viral entry of EHV-1 and EHV-4, and that viral entry is not affected in equine cells when the integrins are inaccessible.
Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, Haus 18, 10115, Berlin, Germany. wfazab@zedat.fu-berlin.de.
Walid
W
Azab
Lara
L
Zajic
Nikolaus
N
Osterrieder
D000818:Animals; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D023141:Herpesvirus 4, Equid / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D058507:Host Specificity; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D014779:Virus Replication
D016023:Integrins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C108360:glycoprotein H, Equid herpesvirus 1