Role of herpes simplex virus VP11/12 tyrosine-based motifs in binding and activation of the Src family kinase Lck and recruitment of p85, Grb2, and Shc.

Previous studies have shown that the abundant herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) tegument protein VP11/12, encoded by gene UL46, stimulates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)/Akt signaling: it binds the Src family kinase (SFK) Lck, is tyrosine phosphorylated, recruits the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase, and is essential for the activation of Akt during HSV-1 infection. The C-terminal region of VP11/12 contains tyrosine-based motifs predicted to bind the SH2 domains of SFKs (YETV and YEEI), p85 (YTHM), and Grb2 (YENV) and the phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain of Shc (NPLY). We inactivated each of these motifs in the context of the intact viral genome and examined effects on binding and activation of Lck and recruitment of p85, Grb2, and Shc. Inactivating the p85, Grb2, or Shc motif reduced (p85) or eliminated (Grb2 and Shc) the interaction with the cognate signaling molecule without greatly affecting the other interactions or activation of Lck. Inactivating either SFK motif had only a minor effect on Lck binding and little or no effect on recruitment of p85, Grb2, or Shc. In contrast, inactivation of both SFK motifs severely reduced Lck binding and activation and tyrosine phosphorylation of VP11/12 and reduced (p85) or eliminated (Grb2 and Shc) binding of other signaling proteins. Overall, these data demonstrate the key redundant roles of the VP11/12 SFK-binding motifs in the recruitment and activation of SFKs and indicate that activated SFKs then lead (directly or indirectly) to phosphorylation of the additional motifs involved in recruiting p85, Grb2, and Shc. Thus, VP11/12 appears to mimic an activated growth factor receptor.

Herpes simplex virus 1 infection of T cells causes VP11/12-dependent phosphorylation and degradation of the cellular protein Dok-2.

Previous studies have shown that HSV-1 infection of lymphocytes induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins that might correspond to viral or host proteins. VP11/12, a viral tegument protein, is the major HSV-induced tyrosine phosphorylated protein identified thus far. In this report, we demonstrated that the cellular adaptor proteins Dok-2 and Dok-1 are tyrosine phosphorylated upon HSV-1 infection. In addition, HSV-1 induced the selective degradation of Dok-2. Finally, we provide evidence that Dok-2 interacts with VP11/12, and that HSV-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and degradation of Dok-2 require VP11/12. Inactivation of either the Src Family Kinases binding motifs or the SHC binding motif of VP11/12 eliminated the interaction of Dok-2 with VP11/12. Elimination of the binding of Dok-2 to VP11/12 prevented Dok-2 phosphorylation and degradation. We propose that HSV-induced Dok phosphorylation and Dok-2 degradation is an immune evasion mechanism to inactivate T cells that might play an important role in HSV pathogenesis.

Role of Herpes simplex virus 1 VP11/12 tyrosine-based binding motifs for Src family kinases, p85, Grb2 and Shc in activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt pathway.

The abundant HSV-1 tegument protein VP11/12 encoded by gene UL46 is essential for induction of the PI3K/Akt-signaling pathway during infection. VP11/12 utilizes tyrosine-based motifs within its C-terminal region to bind the SH2 domains of Src family kinases, the p85 subunit of PI3 Kinase and Grb2, and the PTB domain of Shc. We previously proposed that the interaction with SFKs and p85 is used to gain control over the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. We tested this model by evaluating the effects of mutations that eliminate each of these interactions on the ability of HSV-1 to activate Akt. Inhibiting the interaction of VP11/12 with SFKs, p85 and Grb2 reduced Akt activation, while inhibiting the interaction with Shc had little effect. Overall these data support the suggestion that VP11/12 stimulates the PI3K/Akt pathway by mimicking an activated growth factor receptor.