VZV ORF47 serine protein kinase and its viral substrates

ORF47, a serine protein kinase of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and homolog of herpes simplex virus UL13, is an interesting modulator of VZV pathogenesis. This chapter summarizes research showing that ORF47 protein kinase activity, by virtue of phosphorylation of or binding to various viral substrates, regulates VZV proteins during all phases of viral infection and has a pronounced effect on the trafficking of gE, the predominant VZV glycoprotein, which in turn is critical for cell-to-cell spread of the virus. Casein kinase II, an ubiquitous cellular protein kinase, recognizes a similar but less stringent phosphorylation consensus sequence and can partially compensate for lack of ORF47 activity in VZV-infected cells. Differences between the phosphorylation consensus sites of the viral and cellular kinases are outlined in detail.