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Coronavirus envelope (E) protein remains at the site of assembly

Pavithra Venkatagopalan1, Sasha M Daskalova2, Lisa A Lopez3

  • 1The Biodesign Institute, Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5401, United States; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5401, United States; Microbiology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5401, United States.

Virology
|March 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

The mouse hepatitis coronavirus E protein localizes to the ERGIC and Golgi, not the cell surface. This envelope protein is mobile within these membranes, suggesting its function in virus assembly.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Coronaviruses (CoVs) assemble at the endoplasmic reticulum Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) and exit cells via vesicles.
  • The precise role of the CoV envelope (E) protein in viral morphogenesis remains incompletely understood, despite its presence in virions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cellular localization and dynamics of the mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV) E protein during infection.
  • To elucidate the function of the E protein in viral assembly and morphogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Localization studies of the MHV E protein within infected cells.
  • Genetic engineering of MHV with a tetracysteine tag on the E protein.
  • Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to assess E protein mobility.
  • Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) to confirm E protein localization.

Main Results:

  • The MHV E protein was found to localize in the ERGIC and Golgi apparatus.
  • The amino terminus of the E protein was in the lumen, while the carboxy terminus was in the cytoplasm.
  • E protein did not traffic to the cell surface.
  • FRAP analysis revealed that the E protein is mobile within ERGIC/Golgi membranes.
  • CLEM confirmed the presence of E protein within Golgi cisternae.

Conclusions:

  • The cellular localization and dynamics of the MHV E protein support its role at the site of viral budding and assembly.
  • The E protein's mobility in ERGIC/Golgi membranes is crucial for its function in coronavirus morphogenesis.
Keywords:
CLEMCoronavirusEnvelope proteinFRAPLive-cell imagingProtein transport/localizationVirus assembly

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