Biochemical and biophysical analysis of heptad repeat regions from the fusion protein of Menangle virus, a newly emergent paramyxovirus

Arch Virol. 2003 Jul;148(7):1301-16. doi: 10.1007/s00705-003-0105-x.

Abstract

Menangle virus is a novel paramyxovirus isolated in Australia in 1997, but its classification position has not yet been finally settled. Here by using a computational program, LearnCoil-VMF, we determined the heptad repeat (HR) regions (HR1 and HR2) of Menangle virus F protein. Subsequently the HR1 and HR2 peptides were expressed as a single chain (named 2-Helix) connected by a six amino-acid linker as a GST fusion protein with an E. coli in vitro expression system. The GST-removed purified 2-Helix protein could form a stable trimer in vitro judging by gel-filtration and chemical cross-linking. CD spectra showed that the 2-Helix protein had a high percentage of alpha-helix and was very thermo-stable. Crystals of the 2-Helix protein preparations have been obtained in many conditions with hanging-drop diffusion method. These results indicated that Menangle virus has the common features of the fusion protein for other paramyxoviruses and should adopt a similar fusion mechanism to other members. As the HR regions of Menangle virus F protein could form stable six-helix bundle coiled coil structure, they should be used as drug target for the design of fusion inhibitors, as successfully used for other parmyxoviruses. This is especially relevant to such a newly emergent virus with zoonotic potentials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Australia
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Circular Dichroism
  • DNA Primers
  • Genes, Synthetic
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid*
  • Respirovirus / classification
  • Respirovirus / genetics*
  • Respirovirus / isolation & purification
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry*
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Viral Proteins