Two different genes coding for processable and nonprocessable forms of a viral envelope protein can account for the...

In the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-infected mouse T-lymphoma cell line W7MG1, glucocorticoid hormone regulates two aspects of MMTV gene expression: hormone stimulates MMTV gene transcription and increases the ratio of mature envelope proteins to envelope precursor protein produced. To separate these two effects and determine the mechanism by which hormone regulates the conversion of the envelope precursor Pr74 to the mature cleaved products gp52 and gp33, we constructed expression vectors in which the envelope gene is constitutively transcribed. Surprisingly, the envelope precursor protein Pr74 encoded by two independently isolated, allelic envelope genes behaved differently. Pr74-P (encoded by the ENV/P gene) was processed efficiently to the mature products gp52 and gp33, independently of the level of expression, hormonal induction of cellular genes, or the presence of other MMTV proteins. In contrast, under the same conditions, Pr74-N (encoded by the ENV/N gene) was not processed further despite being relatively stable. In sucrose gradient analyses, Pr74-P sedimented as monomers, whereas Pr74-N was found in high mol wt aggregates of heterogeneous size. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis determined that Pr74-N associated with BiP, whereas Pr74-P did not. This is indicative of improper folding of Pr74-N in the endoplasmic reticulum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)