Abstract
The murine gammaherpesvirus (MHV-68) M11 gene encodes a protein with BH1 domain homology to Bcl-2. We found that the M11 gene product (MHVBcl-2) protected murine epithelial cells from TNF-alpha induced apoptosis. M11 was transcribed during early lytic infection in vitro. During early infection of mice, M11 message was detected in spleen and lung along with lytic cycle messages. During persistence, lytic cycle gene expression was undetectable but M11 RNA was still present. This suggests that MHVBcl-2 promotes virus survival by protecting not only productively infected but also persistently infected cells from apoptotic death.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Apoptosis*
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Cell Line
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Epithelial Cells / cytology*
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Epithelial Cells / virology*
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Gammaherpesvirinae / genetics
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Gammaherpesvirinae / physiology*
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Gene Expression Profiling
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Herpesviridae Infections / pathology
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Herpesviridae Infections / virology*
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Humans
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In Situ Nick-End Labeling
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Lung / pathology
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Lung / virology
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Protein Structure, Tertiary
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / chemistry
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / physiology
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Sequence Alignment
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Spleen / pathology
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Spleen / virology
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Transcription, Genetic
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Transfection
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology
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Viral Proteins / chemistry
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Viral Proteins / genetics
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Viral Proteins / metabolism*
Substances
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M3 protein, Murine gammaherpesvirus
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
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Viral Proteins