The human cytomegalovirus UL100 gene encodes the gC-II glycoproteins recognized by group 2 monoclonal antibodies

In human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) the envelope glycoprotein complexes designated gC-II contain two immunologically and biochemically distinct glycoproteins. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) recognizing the gC-II glycoproteins have been divided into two groups based on the M(r) of the glycoproteins they recognize. We have now identified the HCMV UL100 gene as the gene encoding the gC-II glycoprotein recognized by the Group 2 MAbs. To do this, gC-II complexes were immunoaffinity purified and cleaved with cyanogen bromide (CNBr). CNBr peptides were separated by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RPHPLC). Amino acid sequences which matched sequences found in the protein encoded by the HCMV UL100 gene were obtained from three purified peptides. To confirm the assignment we made synthetic peptides using amino acid sequence from the carboxyl terminus of the protein encoded by the UL100 gene. These peptides were used to make murine antibodies. The anti-UL100 antibodies immunoprecipitated gC-II complexes and were reactive with gC-II glycoproteins recognized by Group 2 MAbs in Western blotting. Several overlapping UL100 fusion proteins were expressed in E. coli. Only one of these fusion proteins was recognized by gC-II Group 2 MAbs. None of these UL100 fusion proteins were recognized by gC-II Group 1 MAbs. These data showed that the UL100 gene encoded the gC-II glycoprotein recognized by the Group 2 MAbs and that the epitope recognized by these antibodies was located between amino acids 315 to 372 at the carboxyl terminus.