scholarly journals Membrane fusion process of Semliki Forest virus. I: Low pH-induced rearrangement in spike protein quaternary structure precedes virus penetration into cells.

1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Wahlberg ◽  
H Garoff
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Quaternary Structure ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Protein Oligomerization ◽  
Protein Subunit ◽  
New Host ◽  
E1 Protein

The Semliki Forest virus (SFV) directs the synthesis of a heterodimeric membrane protein complex which is used for virus membrane assembly during budding at the surface of the infected cell, as well as for low pH-induced membrane fusion in the endosomes when particles enter new host cells. Existing evidence suggests that the E1 protein subunit carries the fusion potential of the heterodimer, whereas the E2 subunit, or its intracellular precursor p62, is required for binding to the nucleocapsid. We show here that during virus uptake into acidic endosomes the original E2E1 heterodimer is destabilized and the E1 proteins form new oligomers, presumably homooligomers, with altered E1 structure. This altered structure of E1 is specifically recognized by a monoclonal antibody which can also inhibit penetration of SFV into host cells as well as SFV-mediated cell-cell fusion, thus suggesting that the altered E1 structure is important for the membrane fusion. These results give further support for a membrane protein oligomerization-mediated control mechanism for the membrane fusion potential in alphaviruses.

scholarly journals The Fusion Peptide of Semliki Forest Virus Associates with Sterol-Rich Membrane Domains

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 3267-3275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Ahn ◽  
Don L. Gibbons ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Fusion Peptide ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Membrane Domains ◽  
E1 Protein ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Virus Mutant ◽  
Detergent Resistant Membrane

ABSTRACT Semliki Forest virus (SFV) is an enveloped alphavirus whose membrane fusion is triggered by low pH and promoted by cholesterol and sphingolipid in the target membrane. Fusion is mediated by E1, a viral membrane protein containing the putative fusion peptide. Virus mutant studies indicate that SFV's cholesterol dependence is controlled by regions of E1 outside of the fusion peptide. Both E1 and E1*, a soluble ectodomain form of E1, interact with membranes in a reaction dependent on low pH, cholesterol, and sphingolipid and form highly stable homotrimers. Here we have used detergent extraction and gradient floatation experiments to demonstrate that E1* associated selectively with detergent-resistant membrane domains (DRMs or rafts). In contrast, reconstituted full-length E1 protein or influenza virus fusion peptide was not associated with DRMs. Methyl β-cyclodextrin quantitatively extracted both cholesterol and E1* from membranes in the absence of detergent, suggesting a strong association of E1* with sterol. Monoclonal antibody studies demonstrated that raft association was mediated by the proposed E1 fusion peptide. Thus, although other regions of E1 are implicated in the control of virus cholesterol dependence, once the SFV fusion peptide inserts in the target membrane it has a high affinity for membrane domains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipid.

scholarly journals Second-Site Revertants of a Semliki Forest Virus Fusion-Block Mutation Reveal the Dynamics of a Class II Membrane Fusion Protein

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 6115-6122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal Chanel-Vos ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Induced Membrane ◽  
Membrane Fusion Protein ◽  
E1 Protein ◽  
Fusion Loop

ABSTRACT The alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells through low-pH-induced membrane fusion mediated by the E1 protein, a class II virus membrane fusion protein. During fusion, E1 inserts into target membranes via its hydrophobic fusion loop and refolds to form a stable E1 homotrimer. Mutation of a highly conserved histidine (the H230A mutation) within a loop adjacent to the fusion loop was previously shown to block SFV fusion and infection, although the mutant E1 protein still inserts into target membranes and forms a homotrimer. Here we report on second-site mutations in E1 that rescue the H230A mutant. These mutations were located in a cluster within the hinge region, at the membrane-interacting tip, and within the groove where the E1 stem is believed to pack. Together the revertants reveal specific and interconnected aspects of the fusion protein refolding reaction.

scholarly journals A Conserved Histidine in the ij Loop of the Semliki Forest Virus E1 Protein Plays an Important Role in Membrane Fusion

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (24) ◽  
pp. 13543-13552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal Chanel-Vos ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Infectious Clone ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Sequence Comparisons ◽  
E1 Protein ◽  
Fusion Loop

ABSTRACT The enveloped alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells via a low pH-triggered membrane fusion reaction mediated by the E1 protein. E1 is a class II fusion protein that contains the hydrophobic fusion peptide loop and converts to a stable homotrimer during the fusion reaction. Intriguingly, the fusion loop is closely associated with a loop connecting the i and j β-strands. This ij loop plays a role in the cholesterol dependence of membrane fusion and is specifically susceptible to proteolysis in the protease-resistant E1 homotrimer. The SFV ij loop contains a histidine residue at position 230. Sequence comparisons revealed that an analogous histidine is completely conserved in all alphavirus and flavivirus fusion proteins. An E1 H230A mutant was constructed using the SFV infectious clone. Although cells infected with H230A RNA produced virus particles, these virions were completely noninfectious and were blocked in both cell-cell fusion and lipid mixing assays. The H230A virions efficiently bound to cell surface receptors and responded to low pH by undergoing acid-dependent conformational changes including dissociation of the E1/E2 dimer, exposure of the fusion loop, association with target liposomes, exposure of acid-conformation-specific epitopes, and formation of the stable E1 homotrimer. Studies with a soluble fragment of E1 showed that the mutant protein was defective in lipid-dependent conformational changes. Our results indicate that the E1 ij loop and the conserved H230 residue play a critical role in alphavirus-membrane fusion and suggest the presence of a previously undescribed late intermediate in the fusion reaction.

scholarly journals E1 Mutants Identify a Critical Region in the Trimer Interface of the Semliki Forest Virus Fusion Protein

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (21) ◽  
pp. 11298-11306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Y. Liu ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Ph Dependence ◽  
Infectious Clone ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Target Membrane

ABSTRACT The alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) uses a membrane fusion reaction to infect host cells. Fusion of the virus and cell membranes is triggered by low pH in the endosome and is mediated by the viral membrane protein E1. During fusion, E1 inserts into the target membrane, trimerizes, and refolds into a hairpin conformation. Formation of the E1 homotrimer is critical to membrane fusion, but the mechanism of trimerization is not understood. The crystal structure of the postfusion E1 trimer shows that an aspartate residue, D188, is positioned in the central core trimer interface. D188 is conserved in all reported alphavirus E1 sequences. We tested the contribution of this amino acid to trimerization and fusion by replacing D188 with alanine (D188A) or lysine (D188K) in an SFV infectious clone. These mutations were predicted to disrupt specific interactions at this position and/or change their pH dependence. Our results indicated that the D188K mutation blocked SFV fusion and infection. At low pH, D188K E1 inserted into target membranes but was trapped as a target membrane-inserted monomer that did not efficiently form the stable core trimer. In contrast, the D188A mutant was infectious, although trimerization and fusion required a lower pH. While there are extensive contacts between E1 subunits in the homotrimer, the D188K mutant identifies an important “hot spot” for protein-protein interactions within the core trimer.

scholarly journals Novel Mutations That Control the Sphingolipid and Cholesterol Dependence of the Semliki Forest Virus Fusion Protein

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (24) ◽  
pp. 12712-12722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prodyot K. Chatterjee ◽  
Christina H. Eng ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Fusion Peptide ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Novel Mutations ◽  
E1 Protein ◽  
Target Membrane

ABSTRACT The enveloped alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells via a membrane fusion reaction mediated by the E1 membrane protein. Efficient SFV-membrane fusion requires the presence of cholesterol and sphingolipid in the target membrane. Here we report on two mutants, srf-4 and srf-5, selected for growth in cholesterol-depleted cells. Like the previously isolated srf-3 mutant (E1 proline 226 to serine), the phenotypes of the srf-4 and srf-5 mutants were conferred by single-amino-acid changes in the E1 protein: leucine 44 to phenylalanine and valine 178 to alanine, respectively. Like srf-3, srf-4 and srf-5 show striking increases in the cholesterol independence of growth, infection, membrane fusion, and exit. Unexpectedly, and unlike srf-3, srf-4 and srf-5 showed highly efficient fusion with sphingolipid-free membranes in both lipid- and content-mixing assays. Both srf-4 and srf-5 formed E1 homotrimers of decreased stability compared to the homotrimers of the wild type and the srf-3 mutant. All three srf mutations lie in the same domain of E1, but the srf-4 and srf-5 mutations are spatially separated from srf-3. When expressed together, the three mutations could interact to produce increased sterol independence and to cause temperature-sensitive E1 transport. Thus, the srf-4 and srf-5 mutations identify novel regions of E1 that are distinct from the fusion peptide and srf-3 region and modulate the requirements for both sphingolipid and cholesterol in virus-membrane fusion.

scholarly journals A Single Point Mutation Controls the Cholesterol Dependence of Semliki Forest Virus Entry and Exit

1998 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malini Vashishtha ◽  
Thomas Phalen ◽  
Marianne T. Marquardt ◽  
Jae S. Ryu ◽  
Alice C. Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Cellular Membrane ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Progeny Virus ◽  
Single Point Mutation ◽  
Protein Subunit ◽  
Single Amino Acid Change

Membrane fusion and budding are key steps in the life cycle of all enveloped viruses. Semliki Forest virus (SFV) is an enveloped alphavirus that requires cellular membrane cholesterol for both membrane fusion and efficient exit of progeny virus from infected cells. We selected an SFV mutant, srf-3, that was strikingly independent of cholesterol for growth. This phenotype was conferred by a single amino acid change in the E1 spike protein subunit, proline 226 to serine, that increased the cholesterol independence of both srf-3 fusion and exit. The srf-3 mutant emphasizes the relationship between the role of cholesterol in membrane fusion and virus exit, and most significantly, identifies a novel spike protein region involved in the virus cholesterol requirement.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of mutations inhibiting fusion and infection by Semliki Forest virus.

1996 ◽  
Vol 134 (4) ◽  
pp. 863-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Kielian ◽  
M R Klimjack ◽  
S Ghosh ◽  
W A Duffus
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Cell Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Fusion Reaction ◽  
Infectious Clone ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Initial Reaction ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Cell Cell

Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells by an acid-dependent membrane fusion reaction catalyzed by the virus spike protein, a complex containing E1 and E2 transmembrane subunits. E1 carries the putative virus fusion peptide, and mutations in this domain of the spike protein were previously shown to shift the pH threshold of cell-cell fusion (G91A), or block cell-cell fusion (G91D). We have used an SFV infectious clone to characterize virus particles containing these mutations. In keeping with the previous spike protein results, G91A virus showed limited secondary infection and an acid-shifted fusion threshold, while G91D virus was noninfectious and inactive in both cell-cell and virus-liposome fusion assays. During the low pH- induced SFV fusion reaction, the E1 subunit exposes new epitopes for monoclonal antibody (mAb) binding and forms an SDS-resistant homotrimer, the virus associates hydrophobically with the target membrane, and fusion of the virus and target membranes occurs. After low pH treatment, G91A spike proteins were shown to bind conformation-specific mAbs, associate with target liposome membranes, and form the E1 homotrimer. However, both G91A membrane association and homotrimer formation had an acid-shifted pH threshold and reduced efficiency compared to wt virus. In contrast, studies of the fusion-defective G91D mutant showed that the virus efficiently reacted with low pH as assayed by mAb binding and liposome association, but was essentially inactive in homotrimer formation. These results suggest that the G91D mutant is noninfectious due to a block in a late step in membrane fusion, separate from the initial reaction to low pH and interaction with the target membrane, and involving the lack of efficient formation of the E1 homotrimer.

scholarly journals Interactions of Semliki Forest virus spike glycoprotein rosettes and vesicles with cultured cells.

1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 455-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Marsh ◽  
E Bolzau ◽  
J White ◽  
A Helenius
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Lipid Vesicles ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Fusion Activity ◽  
Spike Glycoprotein ◽  
Surface Binding ◽  
Coated Pits ◽  
Intact Virus

Semliki Forest virus (SFV)-derived spike glycoprotein rosettes (soluble octameric complexes), virosomes (lipid vesicles with viral spike glycoproteins), and liposomes (protein-free lipid vesicles) have been used to investigate the interaction of subviral particles with BHK-21 cells. Cell surface binding, internalization, degradation, and low pH-dependent membrane fusion were quantitatively determined. Electron microscopy was used to visualize the interactions. Virosomes and rosettes, but not liposomes, bound to cells. Binding occurred preferentially to microvilli and was inhibited by added SFV; it increased with decreasing pH but was, in all cases, less efficient than intact virus. At 37 degrees C the cell surface-bound rosettes and virosomes were internalized via coated pits and coated vesicles. After a lag period of 45 min the protein components of the internalized ligands were degraded and appeared, as acid-soluble activity, in the medium. The uptake of rosettes and virosomes was found to be similar to the adsorptive endocytosis of SFV except that their average residence times on the cell surface were longer. The rosettes and the liposomes did not show low pH-induced membrane fusion activity. The virosomes, however, irrespective of the lipid compositions used, displayed hemolytic activity at mildly acidic pH and were able to fuse with the plasma membrane of cells with an efficiency of 0.25 that observed with intact viruses. Cell-cell fusion activity was not observed with any of the subviral components. The results indicated that subviral components possess some of the entry properties of the intact virus.

scholarly journals Identification of Immunologically Relevant Proteins of Chlamydophila abortus Using Sera from Experimentally Infected Pregnant Ewes

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1274-1281 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. X. Marques ◽  
Puneet Souda ◽  
J. O'Donovan ◽  
J. Gutierrez ◽  
E. J. Gutierrez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
New Host ◽  
Chlamydophila Abortus ◽  
Development Cycle ◽  
Macrophage Infectivity Potentiator ◽  
Infected Cells

ABSTRACT Chlamydophila abortus is an intracellular pathogen and the etiological agent of enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE). C. abortus has a biphasic development cycle; extracellular infectious elementary bodies (EB) attach and penetrate host cells, where they give rise to intracellular, metabolically active reticulate bodies (RB). RB divide by binary fission and subsequently mature to EB, which, on rupture of infected cells, are released to infect new host cells. Pregnant ewes were challenged with 2 × 106 inclusion forming units (IFU) of C. abortus cultured in yolk sac (comprising both EB and RB). Serum samples were collected at 0, 7, 14, 21, 27, 30, 35, 40, and 43 days postinfection (dpi) and used to identify antigens of C. abortus expressed during disease. Additionally, sera from fetal lambs were collected at 30, 35, 40, and 43 dpi. All serum samples collected from experimentally infected pregnant ewes reacted specifically with several antigens of EB as determined by one-dimensional (1-D) and 2-D gel electrophoresis; reactive antigens identified by mass spectrometry included the major outer membrane protein (MOMP), polymorphic outer membrane protein (POMP), and macrophage infectivity potentiator (MIP) lipoprotein.

scholarly journals Role of Conserved Histidine Residues in the Low-pH Dependence of the Semliki Forest Virus Fusion Protein

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
pp. 4670-4677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao-ling Qin ◽  
Yan Zheng ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Semliki Forest Virus ◽  
Ph Dependence ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Endocytic Pathway ◽  
Acidic Ph ◽  
Virus Growth ◽  
Histidine Residues

ABSTRACT A wide variety of enveloped viruses infects cells by taking advantage of the low pH in the endocytic pathway to trigger virus-membrane fusion. For alphaviruses such as Semliki Forest virus (SFV), acidic pH initiates a series of conformational changes in the heterodimeric virus envelope proteins E1 and E2. Low pH dissociates the E2/E1 dimer, releasing the membrane fusion protein E1. E1 inserts into the target membrane and refolds to a trimeric hairpin conformation, thus driving the fusion reaction. The means by which E1 senses and responds to low pH is unclear, and protonation of conserved E1 histidine residues has been proposed as a possible mechanism. We tested the role of four conserved histidines by mutagenesis of the wild-type (wt) SFV infectious clone to create virus mutants with E1 H3A, H125A, H331A, and H331A/H333A mutations. The H125A, H331A, and H331A/H333A mutants had growth properties similar to those of wt SFV and showed modest change or no change in the pH dependence of virus-membrane fusion. By contrast, the E1 H3A mutation produced impaired virus growth and a markedly more acidic pH requirement for virus-membrane fusion. The dissociation of the H3A heterodimer and the membrane insertion of the mutant E1 protein were comparable to those of the wt in efficiency and pH dependence. However, the formation of the H3A homotrimer required a much lower pH and showed reduced efficiency. Together, these results and the location of H3 suggest that this residue acts to regulate the low-pH-dependent refolding of E1 during membrane fusion.

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