A GXXXA Motif in the Transmembrane Domain of the Ebola Virus Glycoprotein Is Required for Tetherin Antagonism

The interferon-induced antiviral host cell protein tetherin can inhibit the release of several enveloped viruses from infected cells. The Ebola virus (EBOV) glycoprotein (GP) antagonizes tetherin, but the domains and amino acids in GP that are required for tetherin antagonism have not been fully defined. A GXXXA motif within the transmembrane domain (TMD) of EBOV-GP was previously shown to be important for GP-mediated cellular detachment. Here, we investigated whether this motif also contributes to tetherin antagonism. Mutation of the GXXXA motif did not impact GP expression or particle incorporation and only modestly reduced EBOV-GP-driven entry. In contrast, the GXXXA motif was required for tetherin antagonism in transfected cells. Moreover, alteration of the GXXXA motif increased tetherin sensitivity of a replication-competent vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) chimera encoding EBOV-GP. Although these results await confirmation with authentic EBOV, they indicate that a GXXXA motif in the TMD of EBOV-GP is important for tetherin antagonism. Moreover, they provide the first evidence that GP can antagonize tetherin in the context of an infectious EBOV surrogate.IMPORTANCE The glycoprotein (GP) of Ebola virus (EBOV) inhibits the antiviral host cell protein tetherin and may promote viral spread in tetherin-positive cells. However, tetherin antagonism by GP has so far been demonstrated only with virus-like particles, and it is unknown whether GP can block tetherin in infected cells. Moreover, a mutation in GP that selectively abrogates tetherin antagonism is unknown. Here, we show that a GXXXA motif in the transmembrane domain of EBOV-GP, which was previously reported to be required for GP-mediated cell rounding, is also important for tetherin counteraction. Moreover, analysis of this mutation in the context of vesicular stomatitis virus chimeras encoding EBOV-GP revealed that GP-mediated tetherin counteraction is operative in infected cells. To our knowledge, these findings demonstrate for the first time that GP can antagonize tetherin in infected cells and provide a tool to study the impact of GP-dependent tetherin counteraction on EBOV spread.