A multigene family encodes the human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein complex gcII (gp47-52 complex)

The HXLF (HindIII-X left reading frame) gene family is a group of five genes that share one or two regions of homology and are arranged in tandem within the short unique component of the human cytomegalovirus genome (K. Weston and B.G. Barrell, J. Mol. Biol. 192:177-208, 1986). These genes were cloned into an SP6 expression vector in both the sense and antisense orientations. An abundant 1.62-kilobase (kb) bicistronic mRNA, predicted to originate from HXLF1 and HXLF2, was detected in the cytoplasm of infected human fibroblast cells by Northern (RNA) blot analysis. Less abundant RNAs of 1.0 and 0.8 kb, predicted to originate from the HXLF5 and HXLF2 genes, respectively, were also detected. Monocistronic, bicistronic, and polycistronic RNAs synthesized in vitro by using SP6 polymerase were translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates with or without canine pancreatic microsomal membranes. The HXLF1 or the HXLF1 and HXLF2 translation products were detected when the above mRNAs were used. The HXLF3, HXLF4, and HXLF5 gene products were not detected by in vitro translation of the SP6-derived polycistronic mRNA. Nonglycosylated or glycosylated HXLF1 and HXLF2 gene products were immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibody 9E10, which is specific for a virion envelope glycoprotein complex designated gcII (gp47-52 complex). In addition, the monoclonal antibody 9E10 immunoprecipitated a diffuse glycoprotein band, designated gp47-52, from HCMV-infected cell lysates. The amino acid composition of gp47-52 purified from viron envelopes has the highest similarity to the predicted amino acid composition of the HXLF1 plus HXLF2 open reading frames, but it is more similar to HXLF2 than to HXLF1. The Northern blot results imply that gp47-52 is synthesized predominantly from the abundant 1.62-kb bicistronic mRNA encoded by the HXLF1 and HXLF2 genes. However, the glycoprotein could also be synthesized by the monocistronic 0.8-kb mRNA encoded by the HXLF2 gene as well as by the mRNAs predicted from the other HXLF genes.