Identification of a hydrophobic domain in varicella-zoster virus ORF61 necessary for ORF61 self-interaction, viral replication, and skin pathogenesis.
The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) ORF61 protein is necessary for normal replication in vitro and virulence in human skin xenografts in the severe combined immunodeficiency mouse model in vivo. These experiments identify a hydrophobic domain that mediates ORF61 self-interaction. While not needed to inhibit host cell defenses, disruption of this domain (residues 250 to 320) severely impairs VZV growth, transactivation of the immediate early 63 and glycoprotein E genes, and the pathogenesis of VZV skin infection in vivo.
Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Li
L
Wang
Jaya
J
Rajamani
Marvin
M
Sommer
Leigh
L
Zerboni
Ann M
AM
Arvin
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015151:Immunoblotting; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C056913:glycoprotein E, varicella-zoster virus; C074551:immediate early protein 63, Human herpesvirus 3; C073411:protein 61, Varicella-zoster virus