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Cytomegalovirus pUL96 is critical for the stability of pp150-associated nucleocapsids

Ritesh Tandon1, Edward S Mocarski

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. rtandon@emory.edu

Journal of Virology
|May 20, 2011
PubMed

Insights

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protein pUL96 is crucial for preserving nucleocapsid integrity during maturation. It ensures proper translocation of pp150-associated capsids from the nucleus to the cytoplasm.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) maturation involves nucleocapsid egress from the nucleus to a cytoplasmic assembly site for envelopment and release.
  • Conserved betaherpesvirus proteins pp150 (UL32) and pUL96 are essential for HCMV replication in cell culture.
  • pp150 is a capsid-proximal tegument protein critical for maintaining nucleocapsid integrity during maturation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the roles of pp150 and pUL96 in HCMV nucleocapsid maturation and egress.
  • To investigate the sequential association of pp150 and pUL96 with viral capsids.
  • To understand the function of pUL96 in preserving nucleocapsid integrity during nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of antigen distribution in HCMV UL96, UL32, or UL96/UL32 mutant virus-infected cells.
  • Ultrastructural evaluation of a UL96 conditional mutant.
  • Comparison of viral maturation phenotypes in wild-type versus mutant infections.

Main Results:

  • pUL96, though an early protein, functions late in maturation, similar to pp150.
  • pp150 associates with nuclear capsids before DNA encapsidation, while both proteins associate with extracellular virus.
  • Absence of pUL96 leads to nuclear and cytoplasmic accumulation of pp150 and aberrant cytoplasmic nucleocapsids, similar to UL32 mutants.

Conclusions:

  • pUL96 is essential for maintaining the integrity of pp150-associated nucleocapsids during their transit from the nucleus to the cytoplasm.
  • pUL96 acts after pp150, ensuring proper HCMV maturation and preventing aberrant capsid accumulation.

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