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T G Morrison

Publications and source records attributed to T G Morrison.

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The role of individual oligosaccharide chains in the activities of the HN glycoprotein of Newcastle disease virus.

To explore the role of N-linked carbohydrate in the activities of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoprotein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), the six glycosylation addition sites (G1-G6) in the HN sequence of the AV strain of NDV were mutated. Migration of mutant protein on polyacrylamide gels as well as endoglycosidase H digestion of mutant protein showed that four of the addition sites (G1, G2, G3, and G4 at amino acids 119, 341, 433, and 481, respectively) are used while two (G5 and G6 at amino acids 508 and 538, respectively) are not used. Proteins expressed from single and all possible combinations of double and triple mutant DNAs as well as the unglycosylated molecule were characterized for the presence of specific antigenic sites, formation of disulfide-linked dimers, stability, transport to the cell surface, and biological activity. Results showed that glycosylation at positions G1 and G2 play little detectable role in the folding, stability, or transport of the molecule either singly or in combination with other mutations. Mutation of these sequons, however, significantly increased the cell attachment and fusion promotion activities of the protein, particularly in combination. Mutation of the glycosylation site at G4 either singly or in combination with other site-eliminating mutants inhibited the formation of the mature protein, while a mutation eliminating the addition site at G3 had a slight effect on the efficiency of folding, particularly in combination with mutation of the site G4. When normalized to surface expression, elimination of carbohydrate addition sites at G3 and G4 singly or in combination with other mutations depressed in particular the neuraminidase activity of the protein but not the fusion promotion activity. Thus two oligosaccharides do not have a detectable role in maturation but do modulate the biological activities of the protein. The other two oligosaccharides influence both folding and activity of the protein.

Animals↗

Mutations in the cytoplasmic domain of the fusion glycoprotein of Newcastle disease virus depress syncytia formation.

The role of the cytoplasmic domain of the Newcastle disease virus fusion protein in syncytia formation was explored by characterizing the intracellular processing and activities of proteins with deletions and point mutations in this region. Deletion of the entire domain (amino acids 523 to 553) resulted in a protein which was minimally proteolytically cleaved and had no syncytia forming activity. Deletion of the carboxy terminal half of the domain (amino acids 540 to 553) resulted in a protein that was normally processed but had no syncytia forming activity. Deletion of amino acids 547 to 553 resulted in a protein with approximately 30% wild-type levels of activity while deletion of amino acids 550 to 553 yielded a protein with wild-type activity. The results suggested that amino acids 540 to 550 are important for syncytia formation and this conclusion was supported by two internal deletions as well as point mutations in this region. Mutation of two cysteine residues in and adjacent to the transmembrane domain, which are potential sites for fatty acid acylation, had no effect on syncytia formation either singly or in combination.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mutational analysis of the leucine zipper motif in the Newcastle disease virus fusion protein.

The paramyxovirus fusion proteins have a highly conserved leucine zipper motif immediately upstream from the transmembrane domain of the F1 subunit (R. Buckland and F. Wild, Nature [London] 338:547, 1989). To determine the role of the conserved leucines in the oligomeric structure and biological activity of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion protein, the heptadic leucines at amino acids 481, 488, and 495 were changed individually and in combination to an alanine residue. While single amino acid changes had little effect on fusion, substitution of two or three leucine residues abolished the fusogenic activity of the protein, although cell surface expression of the mutants was higher than that of the wild-type protein. Substitution of all three leucine residues with alanine did not alter the size of the fusion protein oligomer as determined by sedimentation in sucrose gradients. Furthermore, deletion of the C-terminal 91 amino acids, including the leucine zipper motif and transmembrane domain, resulted in secretion of an oligomeric polypeptide. These results indicate that the conserved leucines are not necessary for oligomer formation but are required for the fusogenic ability of the protein. When the polar face of the potential alpha helix was altered by nonconservative changes of serine to alanine (position 473), glutamic acid to lysine or alanine (position 482), asparagine to lysine (position 485), or aspartic acid to alanine (position 489), the fusogenic ability of the protein was not significantly disrupted. In addition, a double mutant (E482A,D489A) which removed negative charges along one side of the helix had negligible effects on fusion activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The role of the individual cysteine residues in the formation of the mature, antigenic HN protein of Newcastle disease virus.

The amino acid sequence of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoprotein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has 14 cysteine residues, two of which are variably present in the sequences of the HN proteins of different strains of NDV while the rest are absolutely conserved. The role of each residue in the formation of the mature, oligomeric structure of the HN protein was assessed by characterizing proteins with mutations in each of the cysteine residues by Western analysis, immunoprecipitation with conformationally sensitive antibodies, immunofluorescence, and sedimentation on sucrose gradients. Proteins with mutations in the first cysteine (amino acid 6) or the second cysteine (amino acid 123), the nonconserved cysteine residues, formed antigenically mature oligomers which were transported to the cell surface like wild type. Protein with a mutation at cysteine 2 did not, however, form covalently linked oligomers demonstrating that it is this residue that is responsible for intermolecular disulfide bonds in the mature oligomer. Proteins with mutations in cysteine 3 (amino acid 172) or cysteine 5 (amino acid 196) formed proteins with all antigenic sites except one, site 23. These mutant proteins formed disulfide-linked dimers and were efficiently transported to the cell surface. They did not, however, sediment on gradients like the wild-type protein. They were also defective in the biological activities associated with the wild-type protein. Proteins with mutations in cysteines 4 (amino acid 186), 6 (amino acid 238), 7 (amino acid 247), 8 (amino acid 251), 13 (amino acid 531), or 14 (amino acid 542) contained no mature antigenic sites but formed noncovalently linked oligomers. Proteins with mutations in cysteines 9 (amino acid 344), 10 (amino acid 455), 11 (amino acid 461), or 12 (amino acid 465) formed proteins with antigenic site 4 but no other mature antigenic sites. These mutant proteins also formed noncovalently linked oligomers. These results suggest that mutations in different cysteine residues block the maturation of the HN protein at different stages.

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Conformationally sensitive antigenic determinants on the HN glycoprotein of Newcastle disease virus form with different kinetics.

The mature Newcastle disease virus (NDV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein is a type 2, oligomeric glycoprotein which has seven antigenic sites, sites 1, 2, 3, 4, 23, 12, and 14 (lorio et al., 1989, Virus Res. 13, 245). The folding of the HN protein was explored by characterizing the formation of representative epitopes specific for each of the six of antigenic sites in infected cells. None of these epitopes was present on the nascent, 5-min pulse-labeled HN protein, while all epitopes appeared after a 1- to 2-hr chase. All epitopes formed in the presence of monensin or during a chase at 15 degrees, suggesting that all these determinants appear while the molecule is in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. However, none of the epitopes appeared during chases in the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, suggesting that the formation of all determinants requires ATP. The kinetics of formation of each of the determinants was quantitated in both NDV-infected Cos cells and chick embryo cells. In both cell types, antigenic determinants formed with different kinetics. The epitope specific for site 4 appeared first, followed by the simultaneous appearance of epitopes in sites 1 and 3. The epitope in site 2 appeared next and that in site 23 last. The kinetics of appearance of the epitope in site 14 relative to those in other sites varied with cell type. In chick cells, this epitope appeared with the site 2 epitope, while in Cos cells this epitope appeared with or just after sites 1 and 3 epitopes. Nonradioactive chases at 15 degrees slowed the formation of the antigenic determinants. The disulfide-linked dimer form of the HN protein appeared concomitant with epitopes in sites 1 and 3.

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Modulation of the activities of HN protein of Newcastle disease virus by nonconserved cysteine residues.

Comparisons of the sequences of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein from thirteen different strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) show that while 12 cysteine residues are conserved in all strains, two cysteine residues are variably present (Sakaguchi et al. (1989) Virology 169, 260-272). One of these residues, at amino acid 6, is in the cytoplasmic domain. The other cysteine is at amino acid 123 in the ectodomain and is responsible for disulfide-linked HN dimers detected in some NDV strains (McGinnes and Morrison (1994) Virology 200, 470-483). To explore the role of these nonconserved residues in the structure and function of the protein, cysteine residues at amino acid 6 and 123 in the HN protein of the AV strain of NDV were mutated individually and in combination by site specific mutagenesis to serine and tryptophan, respectively. Proteins with mutations in either residue (C6S or C123W) or in both residues (C6S,123W) were transported to the cell surface. However, all three mutants had reduced attachment, neuraminidase, and fusion promotion activities. All three mutant proteins also showed an alteration in an antigenic site specific for oligomers of HN protein while all other antigenic sites were present at wild type levels. These results suggest that the nonconserved cysteine residues in the HN sequence may modulate the biological activities of the protein by affecting the oligomeric structure of the protein.

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The attachment function of the Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein can be separated from fusion promotion by mutation.

Using Cos-7 cells and an SV40-based vector, quantitative assays for fusion directed by the Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and fusion glycoproteins were developed. Data from these assays showed that after cotransfection of the HN protein and the fusion protein DNAs, there was a progressive increase in syncytia size over background levels while transfection with HN protein or F protein DNA alone resulted in no changes over background. Using immunofluorescence, the efficiency of syncytia formation directed by the glycoproteins was assessed. Virtually all cells expressing the fusion protein alone or the HN protein alone existed as single nucleated cells. However, all cells coexpressing the two genes existed in syncytia with 4 to 50 nuclei. Using these assays, the fusion promotion activity of two deletion mutants of the HN protein was quantitated. One mutation deleted amino acids 4 through 26, effectively removing the cytoplasmic domain of the protein. This mutant protein was found at the cell surface, although in very reduced amounts. The mutant protein could bind red blood cells and could promote fusion, although the syncytia formed were smaller (4 to 9 nuclei) than those promoted by the wild-type protein. A second mutation deleted nine amino acids (91-99) located 37 amino acids from the transmembrane region in the ectodomain. This mutant was detected at the cell surface at 33% the level of wild type and it retained near normal ability to bind red blood cells. However, this mutation completely eliminated the fusion promotion activity of the HN protein. This mutation effectively separates the attachment function of the HN protein from fusion promotion.

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The fusion promotion activity of the NDV HN protein does not correlate with neuraminidase activity.

Three activities, attachment, neuraminidase, and fusion promotion, have been associated with the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein encoded by paramyxoviruses such as Newcastle disease virus. The fusion promotion activity of the HN protein can be separated from its attachment activity by mutation (Sergel et al., 1993, Virology 193, 717-726). To determine if neuraminidase activity of the HN protein has any role in fusion promotion, two sets of mutants were characterized. First, a change of amino acid 193 from a serine to a proline and a change of amino acid 175 from isoleucine to a methionine diminished neuraminidase activity as previously reported. However, these mutant proteins retained fusion promotion activity. In addition, mutation of amino acid 200 from a histidine to a proline resulted in nearly twice the neuraminidase activity of wild-type as previously reported. This mutant also had wild-type levels of fusion promotion activity. Second, substitution of three leucine residues at amino acids 94, 96, and 97 with three alanines resulted in a mutant protein with full neuraminidase as well as full attachment activity but no fusion promotion activity. Thus, two sets of HN protein mutants demonstrate that the fusion promotion activity does not correlate with the level of neuraminidase activity.

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Competitive Medical Plans↗

Mature, cell-associated HN protein of Newcastle disease virus exists in two forms differentiated by posttranslational modifications.

Characterization of the posttranslational modifications of the mature, cell-associated hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) revealed that the HN protein exists in two forms differentiated by disulfide bonds and glycosylation. One form, HNa, contains intermolecular disulfide bonds and is endoglycosidase H partially resistant. The other form, HNb, is not linked by disulfide bonds and is endoglycosidase H sensitive. Both forms of the protein are modified with fucose indicating transport to the Golgi membranes. Both forms are detected at the cell surface by monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, both forms are transported to the cell surface with identical kinetics. HNa is incorporated into virions. HNb is not incorporated into virions and is presumably degraded. The cDNA derived from the HN gene was expressed from a retrovirus vector. The majority of the protein expressed was in the nonvirion-associated form b. Evidence is presented that the level of gene expression determines the ratio of the two forms of HN protein. At high levels of expression, the virion-associated form is favored while at low levels of expression the nonvirion-associated form is favored. The results presented have implications for persistent infections as well as expression of viral genes from different vectors.

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Avian cells expressing the Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein are resistant to Newcastle disease virus infection.

The cDNA derived from the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene was inserted into a replication-competent Schmidt-Ruppin Rous sarcoma virus-derived vector. Chick embryo cells transfected with this vector expressed HN-sized protein which could be precipitated with anti-HN antibody. These cells adsorbed avian red blood cells and the cell surfaces exhibited neuraminidase activity while cells transfected with an antisense version of the gene were negative for hemadsorption and neuraminidase. The cells transfected with the retroviral vector containing the HN gene were resistant to infection by NDV and influenza virus, viruses which bind to sialic acid containing receptors, but sensitive to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Cells transfected with the antisense version of the HN gene were sensitive to NDV, influenza virus, and VSV infection. Thus the HN protein-expressing cells are likely resistant to NDV and influenza virus due to the destruction of the cellular receptors by the neuraminidase of the HN protein. The expression of the influenza virus HA protein using the same retrovirus vector has been reported previously (L. A. Hunt, D. W. Brown, H. L. Robinson, C. W. Naeve, and R. G. Webster, 1988, J. Virol. 62, 3014-3019). Cells infected with this vector were sensitive to infection with influenza virus, NDV, and VSV. Thus expression of a viral surface protein does not necessarily confer resistance of the cell to the homologous virus.

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Structure, function, and intracellular processing of paramyxovirus membrane proteins.

Paramyxoviruses are a fascinating group of viruses with diverse hosts and disease manifestations. They are valuable systems for studying viral pathogenesis, molecular mechanisms of negative strand viral replication, and glycoprotein structure and function. In the past few years this group of viruses has received increased attention and as a result there is a wealth of new information. For example, most of the genes of many paramyxoviruses have been cloned and sequenced. The recent availability of sequence information from a number of paramyxoviruses now allows the direct comparison of the amino acid sequence and determinants of secondary structure of analogous genes across the family of viruses. Such comparisons are revealing for two reasons. First, results provide clues to the evolution of these viruses. Second, and more importantly, comparisons of analogous genes may point to sequences and structural determinants that are central to the function of the individual proteins. Below is a comparison of five of the paramyxovirus genes with a discussion of the implications of common structural determinants for function, intracellular processing, and evolutionary origin. The focus is on the paramyxovirus membrane proteins, although other proteins are discussed briefly.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the Newcastle disease virus membrane protein and comparisons of membrane protein sequences.

The nucleotide sequence of a cloned cDNA copy of the mRNA encoding the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) membrane (M) protein was determined. A single open reading frame in the sequence encodes a protein of 364 amino acids with a calculated mol wt of 39,742. The predicted protein sequence does not contain extensive hydrophobic regions. The sequence does contain eight pairs of basic amino acid residues, five of which are located in the carboxyl-terminal half of the sequence. Comparisons of the NDV M protein sequence with other paramyxovirus M protein sequences reveals little homology common to all sequences. There is only 17% homology with Sendai virus M protein. A short region of homology with the VSV M protein sequence, was, however, found.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein and comparisons of paramyxovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein sequences.

The nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA copies of the mRNA encoding the Newcastle disease virus (NDV), strain A-V, hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein was determined. A single open reading frame in the sequence encodes a protein of 570 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 62,280. The predicted protein sequence contains only one obvious potential membrane spanning region, located 27 amino acids from the amino terminus of the sequence. The predicted sequence contains 6 glycosylation sites and 14 cysteine residues. Comparison of the NDV HN protein sequence with three other paramyxovirus HN protein sequences reveals two regions that have homologies in all four sequences. The conserved cysteine residues are clustered in these two regions. One conserved region is located near the middle of the predicted sequence while the second region is in the carboxy terminal third of the molecule. The presence of conserved regions suggests the importance of these areas of the molecule in the structure or function of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Conformational change in a viral glycoprotein during maturation due to disulfide bond disruption.

The fusion glycoprotein of Newcastle disease virus is synthesized as an inactive precursor, F0. During intracellular transport and maturation, F0 undergoes a conformational change resulting from the loss of intramolecular disulfide bonds. F0 is also cleaved to yield F1, F2, the active, membrane-fusing form of the protein. Two monoclonal antibodies were used to explore this conformational change and its relationship to cleavage. These antibodies failed to precipitate the pulse-labeled fusion protein but did precipitate the F0 and the F1, F2 forms of the "chase" fusion protein. Use of the inhibitors carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and monensin showed that the fusion protein acquired the ability to react with the monoclonal antibodies after it left the rough endoplasmic reticulum but before it left the medial Golgi membranes and before it was cleaved. The acquisition of antigenicity correlates with the disruption of intramolecular disulfide bonds during transit through the cell. This correlation was directly confirmed. The pulse-labeled fusion protein could be recognized by both monoclonal antibodies if the protein was first reduced. The formation and disruption of intramolecular disulfide bonds as a posttranslational modification of glycoproteins is discussed.

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Nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the Newcastle disease virus fusion protein and comparisons of paramyxovirus fusion protein sequences.

The nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA copies of the mRNA encoding the Newcastle disease virus fusion protein was determined. A single open reading frame in the sequence encodes a hydrophobic protein of 553 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 58 978. The previously determined protein sequence of the amino terminus of the F1 (Richardson, G.D. et al. (1980) Virology 105, 205-222) was located within the predicted protein sequence. The predicted protein sequence contains a hydrophobic stretch of 29 amino acids near the carboxy terminal end and likely represents the membrane spanning region of the protein. The F2 portion of the sequence contains one glycosylation site while F1 contains four which are potentially used. The predicted sequence contains 13 cysteine residues. Comparison of the NDV fusion protein sequence with three other paramyxovirus fusion protein sequences reveals little homology common to all four viruses except for the amino terminus of the F1 proteins. However, the positions of the cysteine residues within the sequence are conserved, particularly among the members of the paramyxovirus subgroup, suggesting the importance of disulfide bond formation in the conformation of paramyxovirus fusion proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cytochalasin D accelerates the release of Newcastle disease virus from infected cells.

The role of the cellular cytoskeleton in Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection was explored in two ways. First, the extent of the association of viral proteins with the cytoskeletal fraction of chicken embryo cells was determined. NDV-infected cells, pulse-labelled with [35S]methionine with or without a subsequent chase, were fractionated into Triton X-100-soluble and cytoskeletal fractions. All NDV proteins become associated with the cytoskeletal fraction of cells subsequent to their synthesis. Mixing experiments provided evidence against nonspecific sticking of proteins with this cell fraction. Second, the functional significance of the cytoskeletal association was explored using the inhibitor cytochalasin D. In the presence of this inhibitor, the rate of release of radioactively labelled virions was accelerated 2.5-fold. Colchicine did not significantly alter the rate of virion release. Virus particles released from cytochalasin D-treated cells had the same density as virions released from untreated cells, but were slightly less infectious and contained less actin. These results suggest that functional microfilaments do not play an obligatory role in viral morphogenesis but rather function to slow virus particle release.

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