Structural Analysis of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV) Viral Capsid Protein 1 (VP1) in HIV-1 Infected Individuals.

ABSTRACT: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) viral protein 1 (VP1) is the capsid protein that mediates virus attachment to host cell receptors and is the major immune target. Given the limited data on MCPyV VP1 mutations, the VP1 genetic variability was examined in 100 plasma and 100 urine samples from 100 HIV+ individuals. Sequencing of VP1 DNA in 17 urine and 17 plasma specimens, simultaneously MCPyV DNA positive, revealed that 27 samples displayed sequences identical to VP1 of MCC350 strain. VP1 from two urine specimens had either Thr47Ser or Ile115Phe substitution, whereas VP1 of one plasma contained Asp69Val and Ser251Phe substitutions plus deletion (∆) of Tyr79. VP1 DNA in the remaining samples had mutations encoding truncated protein. Three-dimensional prediction models revealed that Asp69Val,

SUBMITTER: Prezioso C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7663277 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature