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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Common evolutionary origin of aquareoviruses and orthoreoviruses revealed by genome characterization of Golden shiner reovirus, Grass carp reovirus, Striped bass reovirus and golden ide reovirus (genus Aquareovirus, family Reoviridae).

Full-length and partial genome sequences of four members of the genus Aquareovirus, family Reoviridae (Golden shiner reovirus, Grass carp reovirus, Striped bass reovirus and golden ide reovirus) were characterized. Based on sequence comparison, the unclassified Grass carp reovirus was shown to be a member of the species Aquareovirus C. The status of golden ide reovirus, another unclassified aquareovirus, was also examined. Sequence analysis showed that it did not belong to the species Aquareovirus A or C, but assessment of its relationship to the species Aquareovirus B, D, E and F was hampered by the absence of genetic data from these species. In agreement with previous reports of ultrastructural resemblance between aquareoviruses and orthoreoviruses, genetic analysis revealed homology in the genes of the two groups. This homology concerned eight of the 11 segments of the aquareovirus genome (amino acid identity 17-42%), and similar genetic organization was observed in two other segments. The conserved terminal sequences in the genomes of members of the two groups were also similar. These data are undoubtedly an indication of the common evolutionary origin of these viruses. This clear genetic relatedness between members of distinct genera is unique within the family Reoviridae. Such a genetic relationship is usually observed between members of a single genus. However, the current taxonomic classification of aquareoviruses and orthoreoviruses in two different genera is supported by a number of characteristics, including their distinct G+C contents, unequal numbers of genome segments, absence of an antigenic relationship, different cytopathic effects and specific econiches.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Interaction of reovirus with cell surface receptors. IV. The reovirus type 3 receptor is expressed predominantly on murine Lyt-2,3+ and human T8+ cells.

Reovirus type 3 binds to approximately 20% of murine and human T cells via the viral hemagglutinin, a small outer capsid polypeptide. By using purified viral particles as a ligand in a standard plate separation technique, we have been able to enrich human peripheral blood and murine splenic T cells for reovirus receptor-positive cells (reovirus 3+) to levels of 88 to 92%. Analysis of reovirus 3+ T cells with monoclonal antibodies that identify inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic cells demonstrated that in the mouse, 68% of reovirus 3+ cells were Lyt-2+, and in the human, 60% were T8+. In reciprocal experiments, when subpopulations of murine and human T cells were prepared with the use of monoclonal anti-T cell reagents, 16% of Lyt-1+ and 81% of Lyt-2+ cells bound reovirus, whereas 30% of T4+ and 65% of T8+ cells bound reovirus. To determine whether reovirus type 3 identified a functional as well as a phenotypic category of cells, an antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell assay was employed. There was complete loss of cytotoxic activity in the reovirus 3+ cell population and slight enhancement of cytotoxic activity in the cell population from which reovirus 3+ cells were removed. This suggested that reovirus was binding to functionally active suppressor cells. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T cells that were enriched for reovirus 3+ cells demonstrated suppression of cytoxic T cell activity. These results suggest that reovirus type 3 may identify a structure common to a subclass of murine and human T cells and that by using the virus as a natural biologic probe for cell surface receptors, one may be able to functionally segregate murine cytotoxic from suppressor T cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Studies on reovirus receptors of L cells: virus binding characteristics and comparison with reovirus receptors of erythrocytes.

"Saturation binding experiments" were carried out to characterize the attachment of reovirus to mouse L fibroblasts. Scatchard analysis of data obtained from such experiments suggests that one homogeneous set of noncooperative, high affinity binding sites are involved in reovirus attachment. It is estimated that L cells possess between 3 and 5 X 10(5) reovirus binding sites per cell and that the equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) is approximately 3 X 10(-9) M. Scatchard analysis of data from similar experiments, carried out in the presence of anti-sigma 1 and anti-sigma 3 antibodies, revealed that although both antibodies prevent viral attachment, they exhibit distinct binding inhibition characteristics: anti-sigma 1 effectively abolishes high-affinity, specific binding, whereas anti-sigma 3 apparently blocks low-affinity, nonspecific interactions. The nature of the L-cell receptor was then probed using various enzymes and reagents, and compared with that of the reovirus receptor on human type O erythrocytes. It was found that whereas reovirus hemagglutination (HA) is inhibited by pretreatment of erythrocytes with various proteases or neuraminidase, virus binding to L cells is unaffected by such treatments. Neither HA nor cell binding is inhibited by the various sugars tested, including N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, which was previously reported to inhibit reovirus HA (L. D. Gelb and A. M. Lerner, 1965, Science 147, 404-405). Both L cells and erythrocyte reovirus receptors are nevertheless highly sensitive to periodate treatment, which presumably destroys the high-affinity reovirus binding sites since protein sigma 1, which is capable of attaching to L cells by itself, does not bind to cells pretreated with periodate. It is therefore concluded that sugar residues on the receptor may be involved in this specific interaction. The possibility that gangliosides may serve as reovirus receptors was also probed. It was found that bovine brain gangliosides, but not cerebrosides, readily aggregate reovirus, inhibit HA, and block viral attachment to L cells. However, binding of protein sigma 1 to L cells is unaffected by gangliosides. Inhibition of reovirus HA and L-cell binding by these gangliosides is therefore most likely due to a steric hindrance effect brought about by interactions between the gangliosides and other components of the outer viral capsid.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Structure-function analysis of reovirus binding to junctional adhesion molecule 1. Implications for the mechanism of reovirus attachment.

Mammalian reoviruses are nonenveloped viruses with a long, filamentous attachment protein that dictates disease phenotypes following infection of newborn mice and is a structural homologue of the adenovirus attachment protein. Reoviruses use junctional adhesion molecule 1 (JAM1) as a serotype-independent cellular receptor. JAM1 is a broadly expressed immunoglobulin superfamily protein that forms stable homodimers and regulates tight-junction permeability and lymphocyte trafficking. We employed a series of structure-guided binding and infection experiments to define residues in human JAM1 (hJAM1) important for reovirus-receptor interactions and to gain insight into mechanisms of reovirus attachment. Binding and infection experiments using chimeric and domain deletion mutant receptor molecules indicate that the amino-terminal D1 domain of hJAM1 is required for reovirus attachment, infection, and replication. Reovirus binding to hJAM1 occurs more rapidly than homotypic hJAM1 association and is competed by excess hJAM1 in vitro and on cells. Cross-linking hJAM1 diminishes the capacity of reovirus to bind hJAM1 in vitro and on cells and negates the competitive effects of soluble hJAM1 on reovirus attachment. Finally, mutagenesis studies demonstrate that residues intimately associated with the hJAM1 dimer interface are critical for reovirus interactions with hJAM1. These results suggest that reovirus attachment disrupts hJAM1 dimers and highlight similarities between the attachment strategies of reovirus and adenovirus.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Interaction of reovirus with cell surface receptors. II. Generation of suppressor T cells by the hemagglutinin of reovirus type 3.

In studying reovirus interactions with lymphocytes, we have found that reovirus type 3, but not type 1, inhibits the in vitro proliferative response of murine splenic lymphocytes to concanavalin A (Con A). By analyzing recombinant clones containing genes from both reovirus types 1 and 3, we found that the S1 gene, the gene that encodes the viral hemagglutinin, is responsible for the inhibitory effect. In addition we found that type 3, but not type 1, generates suppressor T cells in vitro capable of suppressing Con A proliferation. By analyzing recombinant clones, we also found that the viral hemagglutinin is responsible for the generation of suppressor T cells by reovirus type 3. These effects were observed whether UV-inactivated or live virus was used. Reovirus type 3 inhibition of the proliferative response of murine splenic lymphocytes to Con A was blocked by anti-reovirus type 3 antibody but not by anti-reovirus type 1 antibody. Antiviral antibody had no effect on the ability of reovirus type 3 induced suppressor cells to inhibit Con A proliferation. We have previously demonstrated a receptor on murine lymphocytes for the hemagglutinin of reovirus type 3, and our results suggest that the in vitro suppression of Con A proliferation of murine lymphocytes by reovirus type 3 is secondary to the interaction of the viral hemagglutinin with a receptor on the surface of murine lymphocytes, which results in the generation of functionally active suppressor T cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

The oncolytic effect in vivo of reovirus on tumour cells that have survived reovirus cell killing in vitro.

The use of oncolytic viruses has received considerable attention in recent years and many viruses have proved to be effective against a variety of cancer models and a few are currently being used in clinical trials. However, the possible emergence and outcome of virus-resistant tumour cells has not been addressed. We previously reported the effective use of reovirus against lymphoid malignancies, including the Burkitt's lymphoma cell line Raji. Here we isolated in vitro persistently infected (PI) Raji cells, and cells 'cured' of persistent reovirus infection ('cured' cells). Both PI and cured Raji cells resisted reovirus infection and cell killing in vitro. In vivo, the PI cells were non-tumorigenic in SCID mice, but cured cells regained the parental cells' ability to form tumours. Tumour xenografts from the cured cells, however, were highly susceptible to reovirus oncolysis in vivo. This susceptibility was due to the proteolytic environment within tumours that facilitates reovirus infection and cell killing. Our results show that persistent infection by reovirus impedes tumour development and that although PI cells cleared of reovirus are tumorigenic, they are killed upon rechallenge with reovirus. Both the PI and cured states are therefore not likely to be significant barriers to reovirus oncolytic therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Reovirus oncolysis: the Ras/RalGEF/p38 pathway dictates host cell permissiveness to reovirus infection.

Reovirus is a benign human virus that was recently found to have oncolytic properties and is currently in clinical trials as a potential cancer therapy. We have previously demonstrated that activation of Ras signaling, a common event in cancer, renders cells susceptible to reovirus oncolysis. In this study, we investigate which elements downstream of Ras are important in reovirus infection. By using a panel of NIH 3T3 cells transformed with activated Ras mutated in the effector-binding domain, we found that only the RasV12G37 mutant, which was unable to signal to Raf or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase but retained signaling capability to guanine nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) for the small G protein, Ral (known as RalGEFs), was permissive to reovirus. Expression of the activated mutant of the RalGEF, Rlf, also allowed reovirus replication. Specific inhibition of the Ral pathway by using dominant-negative RalA rendered normally permissive H-Ras cells (cells expressing activated Ras) resistant to reovirus. To further identify elements downstream of RalGEF that promote reovirus infection, we used chemical inhibitors of the downstream signaling elements p38 and JNK. We found that reovirus infection was blocked in the presence of the p38 inhibitor but not the JNK inhibitor. Together, these results implicate a Ras/RalGEF/p38 pathway in the regulation of reovirus replication and oncolysis.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1986

Cell receptors for the mammalian reovirus: reovirus-specific T-cell hybridomas can become persistently infected and undergo autoimmune stimulation.

We have previously described the development of virus-specific helper T cell hybridomas which recognize structural determinants shared by type 1 and type 3 reoviruses that have been exposed to UV radiation. We have found that T-cell hybridomas become persistently infected with live type 3 reovirus used for the immunization. Persistently infected T-hybridoma cells were found to spontaneously produce interleukin 2 (IL-2). To analyze the mechanism of induction of IL-2 secretion of persistently infected T-cell hybridomas, we exposed T-cell hybridomas specific for UV-treated virus to replicating type 3 reovirus. The T-cell hybridomas became infected but did not produce IL-2 unless simultaneously exposed to syngeneic I-A+ antigen-presenting cells. In this situation, the persistently infected T-cell hybridomas produced IL-2 without being reexposed to virus. This process was not a consequence of nonspecific IL-2 gene activation, which occurs in cells persistently infected with reovirus, because reovirus infection did not activate IL-2 secretion in T-cell hybridomas with other antigenic specificities. Reovirus exposure also resulted in persistent infection of certain antigen-presenting B-cell tumor lines. The persistently infected B-cell tumor lines could stimulate reovirus-specific helper T cells but not T-cell hybridomas of other specificities. The data support the thesis that persistent infection of reovirus-specific T cells creates a mechanism in which the virus released from these cells is processed and then reexpressed by I-A+ antigen-presenting cells. The IA antigen and reovirus structures on the antigen-presenting cells then restimulate the T cells through their specific receptors, resulting in IL-2 synthesis and release. These observations may be relevant to mechanisms of autoimmunity induced by virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Biosynthesis of reovirus-specified polypeptides: the reovirus s1 mRNA encodes two primary translation products.

Reovirus serotypes 1 (Lang strain) and 3 (Dearing strain) code for a hitherto unrecognized low-molecular-weight polypeptide of Mr approximately 12,000. This polypeptide (p12) was synthesized in vitro in L-cell-free protein synthesizing systems programmed with either reovirus serotype 1 mRNA, reovirus serotype 3 mRNA, or with denatured reovirus genome double-stranded RNA, and in vivo in L-cell cultures infected with either reovirus serotype. The synthesis of p12 in vivo was insensitive to actinomycin D, and occurred at similar times after infection as the previously identified reovirus encoded lambda, mu, and sigma polypeptides. Pulse-chase experiments in vivo, and the relative kinetics of synthesis of p12 in vitro, indicate that it is a primary translation product. Fractionation of reovirus mRNAs by velocity sedimentation and translation of separated mRNAs in vitro suggests that p12 is coded for by the s1 mRNA, which also codes for the previously recognized sigma 1 polypeptide. Synthesis of both p12 and sigma 1 in vitro in L-cell-free protein synthesizing systems programmed with denatured reovirus genome double-stranded RNA also suggests that these two polypeptides can be coded by the same mRNA species. The Mr approximately 12,000 polypeptide was not a detectable structural component of purified virions, and antiserum prepared against purified reovirions did not immunoprecipitate p12. It is proposed that the Mr approximately 12,000 polypeptide encoded by the S1 genome segment be designated sigma 1bNS, and that the polypeptide previously designated sigma 1 be renamed sigma 1a.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Mutant cells selected during persistent reovirus infection do not express mature cathepsin L and do not support reovirus disassembly.

Persistent reovirus infections of murine L929 cells select cellular mutations that inhibit viral disassembly within the endocytic pathway. Mutant cells support reovirus growth when infection is initiated with infectious subvirion particles (ISVPs), which are intermediates in reovirus disassembly formed following proteolysis of viral outer-capsid proteins. However, mutant cells do not support growth of virions, indicating that these cells have a defect in virion-to-ISVP processing. To better understand mechanisms by which viruses use the endocytic pathway to enter cells, we defined steps in reovirus replication blocked in mutant cells selected during persistent infection. Subcellular localization of reovirus after adsorption to parental and mutant cells was assessed using confocal microscopy and virions conjugated to a fluorescent probe. Parental and mutant cells did not differ in the capacity to internalize virions or distribute them to perinuclear compartments. Using pH-sensitive probes, the intravesicular pH was determined and found to be equivalent in parental and mutant cells. In both cell types, virions localized to acidified intracellular organelles. The capacity of parental and mutant cells to support proteolysis of reovirus virions was assessed by monitoring the appearance of disassembly intermediates following adsorption of radiolabeled viral particles. Within 2 h after adsorption to parental cells, proteolysis of viral outer-capsid proteins was observed, consistent with formation of ISVPs. However, in mutant cells, no proteolysis of viral proteins was detected up to 8 h postadsorption. Since treatment of cells with E64, an inhibitor of cysteine-containing proteases, blocks reovirus disassembly, we used immunoblot analysis to assess the expression of cathepsin L, a lysosomal cysteine protease. In contrast to parental cells, mutant cells did not express the mature, proteolytically active form of the enzyme. The defect in cathepsin L maturation was not associated with mutations in procathepsin L mRNA, was not complemented by procathepsin L overexpression, and did not affect the maturation of cathepsin B, another lysosomal cysteine protease. These findings indicate that persistent reovirus infections select cellular mutations that affect the maturation of cathepsin L and suggest that alterations in the expression of lysosomal proteases can modulate viral cytopathicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Cell receptors for the mammalian reovirus. IV. Reovirus-specific cytolytic T cell lines that have idiotypic receptors recognize anti-idiotypic B cell hybridomas.

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (Tc) cell lines specific for reovirus type 3 lysed an uninfected B cell hybridoma line, 87.92.6, that expresses and secretes an anti-idiotypic antibody that reacts with an anti-viral hemagglutinin monoclonal antibody, 9BG5. Monoclonal anti-idiotype 87.92.6 was shown by fluorescence analysis to specifically bind to reovirus Tc and to block reovirus-specific Tc from killing reovirus-infected target cells or the 87.92.6 hybridoma. An anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibody, M17, interfered with Tc-mediated lysis of reovirus-infected targets and the 87.92.6 cells, indicating the similarity of cellular interactions mediated by LFA-1 structures when Tc bind to virally infected targets or 87.92.6 targets. Together with studies in which anti-H2 or monoclonal idiotypic antibodies were found to interfere with reovirus-specific Tc recognition of virally infected or 87.92.6 targets, these experiments indicate that some reovirus-specific Tc have conformations in their receptor that can be recognized by anti-idiotype.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Sequence diversity within the reovirus S3 gene: reoviruses evolve independently of host species, geographic locale, and date of isolation.

To better understand genetic diversity of mammalian reoviruses, we studied sequence variability in the S3 gene segment of 17 field-isolate reovirus strains and prototype strains of the three reovirus serotypes. Strains studied were isolated over a 37-year period from different mammalian hosts and geographic locations. A high degree of variability was observed in the nucleotide sequences of the S3 gene, whereas the deduced amino acid sequences of the S3 gene product, sigma NS, were highly conserved. When variability among the S3 nucleotide sequences was analyzed using pairwise comparisons, we found that 5' and 3' noncoding regions were significantly more conserved than the remainder of the gene. This high degree of sequence conservation was also observed within the first 15 nucleotides of the 5' coding region. Phylogenetic analyses showed that multiple alleles of the S3 gene cocirculate and that genetic diversity in the S3 gene does not correlate with host species, geographic locale, or date of isolation. Phylogenetic trees constructed from variation in the S3 sequences are distinct from those previously generated from sequences that encode attachment protein sigma 1, core protein sigma 2, and outer capsid protein sigma 3, which supports the hypothesis that reovirus gene segments reassort in nature. These findings suggest that reovirus gene segments are well-adapted to mammalian hosts and that reovirus evolution has reached an equilibrium.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Isolation and characteristics of an equine reovirus type 3 and an antibody prevalence survey to reoviruses in horses located in New York State.

Reoviruses have been isolated from a number of species including human, bovine, feline, canine and equine. In most species they seem to produce mild to inapparent disease. We have isolated a reovirus type 3 from a foal with diarrhea. The virus designated the Ralph strain has been propagated in both the MA-104 and A-72 cell lines. The strain produced cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in these cell cultures. Tissue-cultured virus fixed complement in the presence of reovirus antibodies, but failed to do so in the presence of rotavirus antiserum. By electron microscopy the viral particle measured +/- 65 nm. The virus hemagglutinated pig erythrocytes, but not human O, human A, calf, cow, chicken or guinea pig erythrocytes. In the hemagglutination test there was complete reciprocal crossing between the Ralph strain and the NIH reovirus type 3, but there was no crossing with the NIH reovirus types 1 and 2. A limited serological survey was completed on serum samples from New York State horses collected in 1976-1977 and 1981 using the hemagglutination-inhibition test. The percentage with antibodies to reovirus types 1, 2 and 3 for 1976-1977 was 24.5, 42.2 and 3.9% and in 1981, 8.8, 9.8 and 3.9%, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Ribozymes that cleave reovirus genome segment S1 also protect cells from pathogenesis caused by reovirus infection.

Reovirus genome segment S1 encodes protein final sigma1, which is the receptor binding protein, modulates tissue tropism, and specifies the nature of the antiviral immune response. It makes up less than 2% of reovirus particles and is synthesized in very small amounts in infected cells. Any antiviral strategy aimed at reducing specifically the expression of this genome segment should, in principle, reduce the infectivity of the virus. To test this hypothesis, we have assembled two hammer-head motif-containing ribozymes (Rzs) targeted to cleave at the conserved B and C domains of the reovirus s1 RNA. Protein-independent but Mg(2+)-dependent sequence-specific cleavage of s1 RNA was achieved by both the Rzs in trans. Cells that transiently express these Rzs, when challenged with reovirus, were protected against the cytopathic effects caused by the virus. This protection correlated with the specific intracellular reduction of s1 transcripts that was due to their cleavage by the Rzs. Rz-treated cells that were challenged with reovirus showed almost complete disappearance of protein final sigma1 without significantly altering the levels of the other reovirus structural proteins. Thus, Rzs, besides acting as antiviral agents, could be exploited as biological tools to delineate specific functions of target genes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Genetic diversity in natural populations of mammalian reoviruses: tryptic peptide analysis of outer capsid polypeptides of murine, bovine, and human type 1 and 3 reovirus strains.

We have studied the structural relationships between the outer capsid polypeptides of eight murine, bovine, and human isolates of type 1 and 3 mammalian reoviruses. Our results show that the outer capsid polypeptides of reoviruses isolated from different mammalian species, in different years and different geographical areas, have both conserved and unique methionine-containing tryptic peptides. We found that tryptic peptides from mu 1C polypeptides of two human, one murine, and two bovine type 3 isolates and one human and two bovine type 1 reoviruses are highly conserved. Our data show that only one tryptic peptide pattern of the mu 1C polypeptide (encoded by the M2 gene) was present in reoviruses isolated from the three different mammalian species. The mu 1C polypeptide of the type 3 Dearing strain contained one tryptic peptide not found in any other reovirus isolate examined. In marked contrast to the mu 1C polypeptides, the sigma 3 polypeptides (encoded by the S4 gene) of three type 1 and three type 3 isolates were divided into two patterns based on significant differences in their tryptic peptides. In addition, at least seven tryptic peptides were conserved among the sigma 3 polypeptides of all virus strains examined. The sigma 3 polypeptide of the type 3 Dearing strain was distinguishable from the sigma 3 polypeptides of all other strains examined. The one mu 1C and two sigma 3 tryptic peptide patterns were found to occur interchangeably in isolates of type 1 or type 3. About 1/3 of the tyrosine-containing tryptic peptides of sigma 1 polypeptides of four type 3 isolates examined were conserved. Comparison of peptide differences in sigma 1 polypeptides of these isolates showed that each had one or more unique tryptic peptides, suggesting that the S1 genes coding for these polypeptides had undergone genetic drift or, alternatively, that there are at least two tryptic peptide patterns present among the sigma 1 polypeptides of these isolates. Our results suggest that genetic drift and reassortment are the most likely explanation for the extensive genetic diversity found in natural populations of mammalian reoviruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Sequence diversity within the reovirus S2 gene: reovirus genes reassort in nature, and their termini are predicted to form a panhandle motif.

To better understand genetic diversity within mammalian reoviruses, we determined S2 nucleotide and deduced sigma 2 amino acid sequences of nine reovirus strains and compared these sequences with those of prototype strains of the three reovirus serotypes. The S2 gene and sigma 2 protein are highly conserved among the four type 1, one type 2, and seven type 3 strains studied. Phylogenetic analyses based on S2 nucleotide sequences of the 12 reovirus strains indicate that diversity within the S2 gene is independent of viral serotype. Additionally, we found marked topological differences between phylogenetic trees generated from S1 and S2 gene nucleotide sequences of the seven type 3 strains. These results demonstrate that reovirus S1 and S2 genes have distinct evolutionary histories, thus providing phylogenetic evidence for lateral transfer of reovirus genes in nature. When variability among the 12 sigma 2-encoding S2 nucleotide sequences was analyzed at synonymous positions, we found that approximately 60 nucleotides at the 5' terminus and 30 nucleotides at the 3' terminus were markedly conserved in comparison with other sigma 2-encoding regions of S2. Predictions of RNA secondary structures indicate that the more conserved S2 sequences participate in the formation of an extended region of duplex RNA interrupted by a pair of stem-loops. Among the 12 deduced sigma 2 amino acid sequences examined, substitutions were observed at only 11% of amino acid positions. This finding suggests that constraints on the structure or function of sigma 2, perhaps in part because of its location in the virion core, have limited sequence diversity within this protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

The reovirus M1 gene determines the relative capacity of growth of reovirus in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Since blood-borne viruses often interact with endothelial cells before tissue invasion, the interaction between viruses and endothelial cells is likely to be important in viral pathogenicity. Two reovirus isolates (type 1 Lang and type 3 Dearing) differ in their capacity to grow in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. The mammalian reoviruses have 10 double-stranded RNA gene segments in their genome. By using 24 reassortant viruses, observed differences in the capacity of different strains to grow in cultured endothelial cells were mapped to the M1 gene (P = 0.00019), which encodes the viral core protein mu 2. No differences were detected in binding or proteolytic processing of viral outer capsid proteins of parental virions between the two reovirus isolates. Northern blot analysis showed a decreased production of viral mRNA in endothelial cells infected with type 3 Dearing reovirus, but not type 1 Lang. Thus, we have identified a viral gene (the M1 gene) responsible for determining the difference in growth capacity of the two reovirus isolates in cultured endothelial cells. Reovirus is an attractive model in which to study the interaction of viruses with endothelial cells at a molecular genetic level.

Animals↗