skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Mutational analysis of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) immediate early protein (IE62) subdomains and their importance in viral replication

Journal Article · · Virology
; ;  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology, Stan ford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States)
  2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Science, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY (United States)

VZV IE62 is an essential, immediate-early, tegument protein and consists of five domains. We generated recombinant viruses carrying mutations in the first three IE62 domains and tested their influence on VZV replication kinetics. The mutations in domain I did not affect replication kinetics while domain II mutations, disrupting the DNA binding and dimerization domain (DBD), were lethal for VZV replication. Mutations in domain III of the nuclear localization signal (NLS) and the two phosphorylation sites S686A/S722A resulted in slower growth in early and late infection respectively and were associated with IE62 accumulation in the cytoplasm and nucleus respectively. This study mapped the functional domains of IE62 in context of viral infection, indicating that DNA binding and dimerization domain is essential for VZV replication. In addition, the correct localization of IE62, whether nuclear or cytoplasmic, at different points in the viral life cycle, is important for normal progression of VZV replication. - Highlights: • Mutation of IE62 domain I did not affect VZV replication in melanoma cells. • IE62 domain II and III are important for VZV replication in melanoma cells. • Mutations of IE62 domain II (DBD) were lethal for virus replication. • Mutations of IE62 NLS and phosphorylation sites inhibited VZV replication. • NLS and S686A/S722A mutations altered localization of IE62 during early and late infection.

OSTI ID:
22581685
Journal Information:
Virology, Vol. 492; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2016 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0042-6822
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English