Composition and assembly of STAT-targeting ubiquitin ligase complexes: paramyxovirus V protein carboxyl terminus is an oligomerization domain.

ABSTRACT

Transcription regulators STAT1 and STAT2 are key components of the interferon signaling system leading to innate antiviral immunity. The related STAT3 protein is a regulator of interleukin-6-type cytokine signals and can contribute to both cell growth and death important for cancer gene regulation and tumor survival. These three STAT proteins are targeted for proteasome-mediated degradation by RNA viruses in the Rubulavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae. A single viral protein, the V protein, assembles STAT-specific ubiquitin ligase complexes from cellular components. Simian virus 5 (SV5) targets STAT1, human parainfluenza virus 2 targets STAT2, and mumps virus targets both STAT1 and STAT3. Analysis of the V-dependent degradation complex (VDC) composition and assembly revealed several features contributing to targeting specificity. SV5 and mumps V proteins require STAT2 to recruit the STAT1 target, yet mumps V protein binds STAT3 independent of STAT1 and STAT2. All Rubulavirus V proteins tested require cellular DDB1 to target STATs for degradation but differ in the use of Roc1, which is essential for mumps V STAT3 targeting. Protein interaction analysis reveals that paramyxovirus V proteins can homo- and heterooligomerize and that the conserved cysteine-rich zinc-binding C-terminal domain is necessary and sufficient for oligomerization. Purified SV5 V protein spontaneously assembles into spherical macromolecular particles, and similar particles constitute SV5 and mumps VDC preparations.