Key domains involved in the interaction and assembly of the HCMV terminase complex.

ABSTRACT: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes life-threatening infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Letermovir targets the viral terminase complex (pUL56, pUL89, pUL51), essential for DNA packaging, but resistance mutations in pUL56 underline the need for new antiviral strategies. Targeting critical interaction domains within the complex, such as the pUL56 peptide ₆₇₁WMVVKYMGFF₆₈₀, has emerged as a promising approach. This study identifies two additional pUL56 motifs, ₅₁₄EVNVRKRAY₅₂₂ and ₇₅₇YLLLYRHL₇₆₄, as key mediators of terminase assembly. These motifs were deleted or mutated in an HCMV-BAC clone, and protein-protein interactions were assessed using NanoBit^® PPI/PCI-neo assays in HEK293T cells. Interac

SUBMITTER: Gourin C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12749448 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature