The herpes simplex virus 1 vhs protein enhances translation of viral true late mRNAs and virus production in a cell type-dependent manner.

ABSTRACT: The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) virion host shutoff protein (vhs) degrades viral and cellular mRNAs. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that vhs also boosts translation of viral true late mRNAs in a cell type-dependent manner and that this effect determines the viral growth phenotype in the respective cell type. Our study was prompted by the detection of stress granules, indicators of stalled translation initiation, in cells infected with vhs mutants but not in wild-type-virus-infected cells. Accumulation of true late-gene products gC and US11 was strongly reduced in the absence of vhs in HeLa cells and several other restrictive cell lines but not in Vero and other permissive cells and was independent of phosphorylation of the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α). Po

SUBMITTER: Dauber B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3094992 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature