The helper component-proteinase of the Zucchini yellow mosaic virus inhibits the Hua Enhancer 1 methyltransferase activity in vitro

J Gen Virol. 2011 Sep;92(Pt 9):2222-2226. doi: 10.1099/vir.0.031534-0. Epub 2011 May 18.

Abstract

The helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) is a multifunctional protein found among potyviruses. With respect to its silencing suppressor function, small RNA binding appears to be the major activity of HC-Pro. HC-Pro could also exhibit other suppressor activities. HC-Pro may inhibit the Hua Enhancer 1 (HEN1) activity. There is indirect evidence showing that either transient or stable expression of HC-Pro in plants results in an increase of non-methylated small RNAs. Here, we demonstrated that recombinant Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) HC-Pro inhibited the methyltransferase activity of HEN1 in vitro. Moreover, we found that the HC-Pro(FINK) mutant, which has lost small RNA-binding activity, inhibited HEN1 activity, while the truncated proteins and total soluble bacterial proteins did not. Using the ELISA-binding assay, we provided evidence that the HC-Pro(FRNK) wild-type and HC-Pro(FINK) both bound to HEN1, with HC-Pro(FRNK) binding stronger than HC-Pro(FINK). Motif mapping analysis revealed that the amino acids located between positions 139 and 320 of ZYMV HC-Pro were associated with HEN1 interaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Methyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Potyvirus / enzymology*
  • Potyvirus / pathogenicity*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • HEN1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Viral Proteins
  • Methyltransferases
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • HC-Pro protein, potyvirus