Localization of self-interacting domains within betaretrovirus Gag polyproteins

Virology. 2005 Feb 20;332(2):659-66. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2004.12.007.

Abstract

The Betaretrovirus genus is characterized by the ability to preassemble immature capsids within the cytoplasm. For Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) this ability depends in part upon the unique Internal Scaffold Domain (ISD) within the p12 region of Gag. In this study, we have further characterized the ability of M-PMV p12 to promote Gag-Gag interaction and have examined the Gag polyprotein of the related mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) to potentially identify a region with equivalent function. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we confirmed that both Gag polyproteins strongly interact, primarily through the CA-NC regions, but also through additional domains N-terminal to CA. For M-PMV, this auxiliary interaction domain was p12. For MMTV, no single strongly self-interacting protein was identified. Instead, MMTV Gag appears to utilize the weak contributions of several protein domains to support the main interaction of its CA-NC. Our findings suggest that, in addition to the canonical NC "I-domain" interaction, MMTV Gag self-association results from the concerted action of multiple regions of the polyprotein while M-PMV Gag relies mainly on its p12 domain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Capsid
  • DNA Primers
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Gene Products, gag / chemistry
  • Gene Products, gag / genetics
  • Gene Products, gag / metabolism*
  • Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / genetics
  • Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / metabolism
  • Mason-Pfizer monkey virus / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plasmids
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Gene Products, gag