Fatty acid-depleted albumin induces the formation of echovirus A particles.

Picornavirus infection requires virus uncoating, associated with the production of 135S "A" particles and 80S empty particles from 160S mature virions, to release the RNA genome into the cell cytoplasm. Normal albumin inhibits this process. We now show that when depleted of fatty acids, albumin induces the formation of echovirus A particles.

The picornavirus replication inhibitors HBB and guanidine in the echovirus-9 system: the significance of viral protein 2C.

HBB [2-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)-benzimidazole] and guanidine are potent inhibitors of picornavirus replication. Among other evidence, limited cross-resistance and a synergistic effect of both inhibitors suggest similar but not identical mechanisms of antiviral action. Echovirus-9 variants resistant to each of these drugs were characterized and sequenced. Complete resistance to HBB or guanidine was shown to be due to single but different point mutations in the non-structural protein 2C. Protein 2C was expressed as GST fusion and His-tagged proteins for the wild-type and various mutants. Although three mutations were located in or near conserved NTP binding motifs, NTPase activity was not altered in the presence of HBB or guanidine.

Echovirus 9 strain barty non-structural protein 2C has NTPase activity.

Non-structural protein 2C is known to play a fundamental role in the replication of picornaviruses. Sequence analyses revealed that 2C belongs to a rapidly expanding group of proteins containing a consensus sequence for nucleotide binding (NTB). We report that echovirus 9 polypeptide 2C displays NTPase activity in vitro. In our experiments, several P2 genes were expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins linked to glutathione S-transferase (GST) prior to purification close to homogeneity. In contrast to GST-2B, both GST-2C and GST-2BC showed ATPase as well as GTPase activity indicating that the site for NTB binding and splitting is located in 2C.

Dependence of echovirus 9 on the enterovirus RNA replication inhibitor 2-(alpha-Hydroxybenzyl)-benzimidazole maps to nonstructural protein 2C.

HBB [2-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)-benzimidazole] selectively inhibits RNA synthesis of most enteroviruses. However, isolation of HBB-dependent variants is possible. Sequence analysis and characterization of recombinant viruses revealed that HBB dependence maps to the nonstructural protein 2C. A single point mutation at position C(4782)U is sufficient to establish the HBB-dependent phenotype in our echovirus 9 model.

Determinants of pathogenicity of echovirus 9 in men: significance of a functional RGD-motif.

In this study, we investigated nine independent echovirus 9 isolates obtained from sick children in 1995. It is discovered that these isolates differ in respect to their pathogenicity for newborn mice indicating that the degree of human pathogenicity of an echovirus 9 variant does not necessarily correlate with mouse pathogenicity. Nevertheless, all virus variants are found to code for an RGD-motif within their VP1 protein. Hence, the RGD-motif and its highly conserved flanking regions are the conditio sine qua non, but, as expected, not sufficient for the mouse-pathogenic character.

Accomplishments and challenges in picornavirology as observed by a medical doctor.

BACKGROUND: The family of picornaviridae has been studied extensively: the structure of the virion and its replication strategy are known in molecular detail. Nevertheless, infections with the multitude of enteroviruses still cause widespread epidemics, serious disease and a diversity of clinical syndromes ranging from central nervous system involvement to light febrile illness. Infections with more than 100 human rhinovirus types are an important economic factor. OBJECTIVE: In order to treat and control picornavirus infections with their great diversity of manifestations the pathogenesis of diseases must be better understood, e.g. concerning virus spread in the organism or molecular detail of the disease processes, such as cell tropism of the virus or cytokine and immunologic actions. Elucidation of mechanisms of virus transmission in the population is also needed. STUDY DESIGN: This review discusses aspects of our present knowledge of the pathogenesis, transmission, prophylaxis and treatment of picornavirus infections. CONCLUSIONS: The need for further development of selective antiviral substances, safe vaccines and basic research in picornavirology is stressed.

Mapping of linear antigenic determinants on glycoprotein C of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 recognized by human serum immunoglobulin G antibodies.

Using membrane-based dekapeptides, the reactivity of human serum antibodies with linear antigenic determinants of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2 glycoprotein C (gC-1, gC-2) was studied by pep scan and immunodot assay. The entire coding sequences of gC-1 and gC-2 were screened for the presence of linear epitopes by pep scan. Peptides recognized in an HSV-1 type-specific manner were mainly identified within the N-terminal third and at the C-terminus of gC-1, whereas most type-common antibodies were directed against colinear peptides within the central parts of gC-1 and gC-2. The type-specific reaction of human sera with gC-2 peptides in pep scan was poor. Eight peptides identified as immunoreactive by pep scan were further tested in immunodot assay for their reactivity with a human serum panel. None of the eight HSV-negative sera gave positive results by immunodot assay. Positive reactions with gC peptides were found to be strongly age-dependent, i.e., the rate of positive reactions was significantly higher in HSV-positive adults than in HSV-positive children. Antibody reactivity with two type-common gC peptides was demonstrated in 17 out of 28 HSV-positive sera. A putative type-specific gC-2 peptide employed in immunodot assay was inconsistently recognized by human sera. Twenty HSV-positive sera reacted with at least 1 of 5 type-specific gC-1 peptides. Nine sera showing no reactivity with glycoprotein G of HSV-1 (gG-1) by immunobloting recognized type-specific gC-1 peptides in immunodot assay. Thus, gC-1 peptides might allow the detection of HSV-1-specific antibodies in individuals showing no reactivity with commonly employed HSV-1-specific diagnostic antigenes, i.e., purified or recombinant gG-1.

Cell attachment and mouse virulence of echovirus 9 correlate with an RGD motif in the capsid protein VP1.

The recently analyzed sequences of the nonpathogenic prototype strain Hill and the mouse-virulent strain Barty of the human echovirus 9 differ particularly in an insertion coding for an RGD motif at the C-terminus of the capsid protein VP1 in the genome of strain Barty. To investigate molecular determinants of virulence, we generated a panel of recombinant viruses derived from cDNA clones of strains Hill and Barty. In this communication, we show that the mouse-pathogenic character of strain Barty correlates with a 310-aa segment including the RGD motif. By mutating the RGD to an RGE tripeptide, the infectivity of the resulting echovirus 9 clones for GMK cells is lost. Furthermore, we could show that synthetic peptides containing the RGD sequence influence binding of mouse-virulent echovirus 9 strains to GMK cells, whereas binding of apathogenic strains is not affected. These results suggest that the RGD motif is a significant factor affecting pathogenicity of echovirus 9 strains.

The poly(C) region affects progression of encephalomyocarditis virus infection in Langerhans' islets but not in the myocardium.

The diabetogenic variant PV2 of encephalomyocarditis virus was cloned, and three recombinants differing in their 5' poly(C) tracts were analyzed. It is shown that the poly(C) region is not essential for infectivity in mice but does influence the virus load and degree of pathological lesions within the Langerhans' islets but not in the myocardium.

Diversity of the vif gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in Uganda.

Little sequence information is available for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vif genes of African origin. Here we describe 37 new complete vif genes of 18 AIDS patients from Uganda and show that vif has a high in vivo genetic variability. vif proviral DNA sequences of peripheral blood cells were determined by direct sequencing of PCR products. Only 52% of the deduced Vif amino acids were absolutely conserved; when Vif sequences previously analysed were considered, only 32% of the Vif consensus sequence comprised conserved and as such possibly functionally important motifs. The high inter-individual vif variability was in contrast to a very low intra-individual variability. One patient carried a vif gene with a stable C-terminal deletion, but N-terminal truncations were not found in patients' predominant vif sequences. The vif genes analysed comprised subtypes A, D and an A/D mosaic. Phylogenetic analyses additionally showed that HIV- 1 in Uganda has spread across the boundaries of ethnic groups.

Rhodanine resistance and dependence of echovirus 12: a possible consequence of capsid flexibility.

Recombinant viruses of echovirus 12 carrying mutations of a rhodanine-resistant or -dependent variant, were investigated, and five single mutations each inducing a rhodanine-resistant or -dependent phenotype were defined. Four mutations are localized in the capsid protein VP1, and the fifth exchange is in VP4. All original and recombinant viruses were shown to be stabilized by the antiviral drug rhodanine against heat inactivation. Hence, resistant and dependent variants still seem able to bind rhodanine, and apparently none of the exchanges affects the putative drug binding site. We hypothesize that drug resistance and dependence are consequences of an increased flexibility of the virus capsid.

Quantification of HIV-1 proviral DNA and analysis of genomic diversity by polymerase chain reaction and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis.

A competitive polymerase chain reaction/temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR/TGGE) protocol was developed for exact quantification of HIV-1 proviral DNA copy numbers in clinical samples. An internal standard (ST) that differs from wildtype-sequences only by a single base exchange was used as a competitor in PCR. Quantification of HIV-1 target sequences was achieved by coamplification of defined copy numbers of ST with wild type target sequences, hybridization of PCR products to a strand-specifically labelled probe, separation of ST and wildtype sequences by TGGE, and determination of the ratio of wildtype and standard sequences by densitometric scanning. Effects of sample preparation, DNA extraction and white blood cell counts were minimized by the additional quantification of beta-globin sequences. With this technique, it was possible to determine precisely the number of HIV target sequences as compared to the number of beta-globin gene copies with a detection limit of two HIV-1 proviral copies. Forty-four peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) extracts from 39 HIV-1 infected patients were analyzed by PCR/TGGE. HIV-1 proviral DNA levels ranged between 2 and 24190 HIV-copies/10(6) beta-globin copies. In general, patients in the advanced stages of disease and/or with low CD4 counts had much higher proviral DNA levels than patients in early stages or with high CD4 counts. In patients from whom consecutive samples were obtained, progression of disease correlated with a greater than tenfold rise of HIV-copies/10(6) beta-globin copies. Compared to other recently published protocols for proviral DNA quantification, this experimental approach allows in addition direct demonstration of mutations within the amplified region. The competitive PCR/TGGE protocol described in this study is suitable for monitoring fluctuations of proviral DNA levels and to identify the genomic diversity of HIV target sequences simultaneously in one assay.

Analysis of sequence and pathogenic properties of two variants of encephalomyocarditis virus differing in a single amino acid in VP1.

The encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus-induced diabetes-like syndrome in mouse inbred strains was used as a model to study the insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Our investigations were performed with two EMC virus variants, PV2 and PV7. After infection of SJL mice with 10(5) PFU of PV2 about 70% of the animals developed a diabetes-like syndrome, whereas the PV7 infected mice appeared healthy. Histological examination and in situ experiments revealed that the islets of Langerhans are a main target of PV2, whereas PV7 infection leads to only modest changes of the islets. Sequence analysis of both variants revealed one amino acid exchange within the capsid protein VP1. Hence, we describe the first diabetogenic and non-diabetogenic EMCV variants differing in only one single amino acid.

Molecular cloning and sequence determination of the complete genome of the virulent echovirus 9 strain barty.

As part of a study of the molecular basis of pathogenicity of echovirus 9, the complete nucleotide sequence of the mouse-virulent echovirus 9 strain Barty was determined. Excluding the poly(A) tail, the complete RNA genome is composed of 7451 bases. The postulated open reading frame extends from nucleotide (nt) 741 to 7349 and predicts a polyprotein of 2203 amino acids (aa). As compared with the sequence of the echovirus 9 prototype strain Hill, which is apathogenic for newborn mice, 1492 nt are exchanged, leading to 9% divergence of the deduced amino acid sequence. The foremost difference between both strains is located at the C-terminus of the capsid protein VP1. In the case of strain Barty, an additional 10 aa fragment, including an RGD motif, is inserted.

Complete nucleotide sequence and biological properties of an infectious clone of prototype echovirus 9.

The prototype Hill of echovirus 9, a human enterovirus, exhibits no pathogenicity for newborn mice in contrast to some other echovirus 9 strains isolated subsequently during epidemics. In this communication we report the first complete nucleotide sequence and construction of an infectious clone of echovirus 9. Aside from the 3' poly(A)-tract, the RNA genome is 7420 nucleotides (nt) in length and encodes a single polyprotein of 2193 amino acids (aa). The open reading frame extends from position 740 to position 7318 of the genome. Sequence comparisons to other enteroviruses reveal a strong overall amino acid identity to echovirus types 11 and 12 (in each case 76%). The proteolytic cleavage sites of the three major capsid proteins were determined after purification by HPLC and protein sequencing. A full-length clone coding for an infectious RNA transcript was constructed, and recombinant echovirus 9 particles could be isolated from the supernatant of transfected cell culture. It is shown that the recombinant virus, like the original prototype, is non-pathogenic for newborn mice and does not multiply in skeletal muscles.

Infectious cDNA clones of echovirus 12 and a variant resistant against the uncoating inhibitor rhodanine differ in seven amino acids.

Determination of the complete sequences of echovirus 12 and a rhodanine-resistant variant revealed seven amino acid deviations and two additional exchanges not confirmed in all clones. In rhodanine sensitivity assays with infectious cDNAs, it was shown that the biological markers of the original viruses are maintained.