The ubiquitination of the influenza A virus PB1-F2 protein is crucial for its biological function

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 13;10(4):e0118477. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118477. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to identify what influences the short half-life of the influenza A virus PB1-F2 protein and whether a prolonged half-life affects the properties of this molecule. We hypothesized that the short half-life of PB1-F2 could conceal the phenotype of the protein. Because proteasome degradation might be involved in PB1-F2 degradation, we focused on ubiquitination, a common label for proteasome targeting. A cluster of lysine residues was demonstrated as an ubiquitination acceptor site in evolutionary and functionally distinct proteins. The PB1-F2 sequence alignment revealed a cluster of lysines on the carboxy terminal end of PB1-F2 in almost all of the GenBank sequences available to date. Using a proximity ligation assay, we identified ubiquitination as a novel posttranslational modification of PB1-F2. Changing the lysines at positions 73, 78, and 85 to arginines suppressed the ubiquitination of A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1)-derived PB1-F2. The mutation of the C-terminal lysine residue cluster positively affected the overall expression levels of avian A/Honk Kong/156/1997 (H5N1)- and mammalian A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1)-derived PB1-F2. Moreover, increased PB1-F2 copy numbers strengthened the functions of this virus in the infected cells. The results of a minigenome luciferase reporter assay revealed an enhancement of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity in the presence of stabilized PB1-F2, regardless of viral origin. IFNβ antagonism was enhanced in 293T cells transfected with a plasmid expressing stabilized K→R mutant variants of PB1-F2. Compared with PB1-F2 wt, the loss of ubiquitination enhanced the antibody response after DNA vaccination. In summary, we revealed that PB1-F2 is an ubiquitinated IAV protein, and this posttranslational modification plays a central role in the regulation of the biological functions of this protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Influenza A virus / immunology
  • Influenza A virus / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Ubiquitination
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism
  • Viral Proteins / physiology*

Substances

  • PB1-F2 protein, Influenza A virus
  • Viral Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported through 2/0085/10, 2/0124/11 KP, 2/0176/12 EV, 2/0100/13 FK, 02/152/14 IK and 02/153/14 ZB grants from the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and Slovak Academy of Sciences, https://www.minedu.sk/vedecka-grantova-agentura-msvvas-sr-a-sav-vega/. This study was also supported through grants no. APVV-0250-10 EV and DO7RP-0025-10 EV from the Slovak Research and Development Agency, http://www.apvv.sk/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.