Structural plasticity in influenza virus protein NS2 (NEP)

The cellular nuclear transport machinery relies on the assembly of specialized transport complexes between soluble transport receptors, transport substrates, and additional accessory proteins. This study focuses on the structural characteristics of influenza virus protein NS2 (NEP), which interacts with the nuclear export machinery during viral replication, and has been proposed to act as an adapter molecule between the nuclear export machinery and the viral ribonucleoprotein complex. For this purpose, we have purified recombinant NS2 under nondenaturing conditions, and have investigated its structure and aggregation state using optical spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, as well as hydrodynamic techniques. Our results indicate that isolated NS2 exists as a monomer in solution, and adopts a compact, but very flexible conformation, which shows characteristics of the molten globule state under near physiological conditions. Proteolytic sensitivity suggests that, despite its overall plasticity, the structure of NS2 is heterogeneous. While the C terminus of the protein adopts a relatively rigid conformation, its N terminus, which is recognized by the nuclear export machinery, exists in a highly mobile and exposed state. It is proposed that the flexibility observed in the nuclear export domain of NS2 is an important element in the recognition of substrate proteins by the nuclear export machinery.