Probing of the nuclear import and export signals and subcellular transport mechanism of varicella-zoster virus tegument protein open reading frame 10

Med Microbiol Immunol. 2012 Feb;201(1):103-11. doi: 10.1007/s00430-011-0211-4. Epub 2011 Jul 14.

Abstract

Varicella-zoster virus open reading frame 10 (ORF10), a tegument protein present in the virion, is a member of the alphaherpesvirus UL48 gene family that shares considerable amino acid sequence homology with the UL48 prototype, herpes simplex virus type 1 VP16. VP16 serves multiple functions, including transcriptional activation of viral immediate-early genes. Furthermore, VP16 has been shown to be involved in some aspects of virus assembly and/or maturation. However, little is known concerning the function of ORF10. Here, we found that transient expression of ORF10 fused to enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) in COS-7 cells showed the predominantly nuclear localization in the absence of other viral proteins. By constructing a series of ORF10 variants fused to EYFP, a bona fide bipartite nuclear localization signal of ORF10 was, for the first time, determined and mapped to amino acids (aa) 302-347. Additionally, the nuclear export signal (NES) was identified and found to be in a leucine-rich region at aa 226-236. Finally, ORF10 was demonstrated to be targeted to the cytoplasm through the functional NES by chromosomal region maintenance 1-dependent pathway, and to the nucleus via Ran and importin β1-dependent pathway that does not require importin α5.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Exportin 1 Protein
  • Herpesvirus 3, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 3, Human / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Karyopherins / genetics
  • Karyopherins / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Export Signals / genetics*
  • Nuclear Localization Signals / chemistry
  • Nuclear Localization Signals / genetics*
  • Protein Transport
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / chemistry
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Viral Structural Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Structural Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Karyopherins / genetics
  • beta Karyopherins / metabolism
  • ran GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • ran GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Karyopherins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Nuclear Export Signals
  • Nuclear Localization Signals
  • ORF 10 protein, varicella-zoster virus
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Viral Structural Proteins
  • beta Karyopherins
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
  • ran GTP-Binding Protein