Glycosaminoglycan binding properties of the myxoma virus CC-chemokine inhibitor, M-T1

J Biol Chem. 2001 Aug 10;276(32):30504-13. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M011401200. Epub 2001 May 21.

Abstract

Poxviruses encode a number of secreted virulence factors that function to mitigate or modulate the host immune response. M-T1 is a secreted 43-kDa glycoprotein produced by the myxoma virus, a poxvirus pathogen of rabbits, that binds CC-chemokines with high affinity, blocks binding to their cognate G-protein coupled receptors, and thereby inhibits chemokine-induced leukocyte chemotaxis. The present study indicates that M-T1, but not the related vaccinia virus 35-kDa CC-chemokine-binding protein, can localize to cell surfaces through an interaction with glycosaminoglycan molecules. In addition to biochemically characterizing the nature of this interaction, we demonstrate that M-T1 can also simultaneously interact with CC-chemokines while bound to heparin, suggesting that the binding sites on M-T1 for chemokines and heparin are distinct. Furthermore, using recombinant baculovirus-expressed M-T1 truncation and internal deletion mutants, we localize the heparin-binding region of M-T1 to the C terminus of the protein, a region that contains a high abundance of basic residues and includes two clusters of basic amino acid residues that resemble Cardin and Weintraub heparin-binding consensus sequences. The ability of M-T1 to simultaneously interact with chemokines and glycosaminoglycans may enable M-T1 to tether to endothelial surfaces or extracellular matrix and capture host chemokines that are expressed close to sites of virus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Baculoviridae / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Cattle
  • Cell Line
  • Chemokines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Endothelium / cytology
  • Endothelium / metabolism
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Gene Deletion
  • Glycosaminoglycans / chemistry*
  • Glycosaminoglycans / metabolism*
  • Heparin / chemistry
  • Heparin / metabolism
  • Kinetics
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation
  • Myxoma virus / chemistry*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Sodium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance
  • Swine
  • Vaccinia virus / chemistry
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • M-T1 protein, myxoma virus
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Heparin