Characterization of the betaherpesviral pUL69 protein family reveals binding of the cellular mRNA export factor UAP56 as a prerequisite for stimulation of nuclear mRNA export and for efficient viral replication.

ABSTRACT: UL69 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes a pleiotropic transactivator protein and has a counterpart in every member of the Herpesviridae family thus far sequenced. However, little is known about the conservation of the functions of the nuclear phosphoprotein pUL69 in the homologous proteins of other betaherpesviruses. Therefore, eukaryotic expression vectors were constructed for pC69 of chimpanzee cytomegalovirus, pRh69 of rhesus cytomegalovirus, pM69 of murine cytomegalovirus, pU42 of human herpesvirus 6, and pU42 of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus. Indirect immunofluorescence experiments showed that all pUL69 homologs expressed by these vectors were localized to the cell nucleus. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments identified homodimerization as a conserved feature of all homolog

SUBMITTER: Zielke B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3028876 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature