Comparative analysis of mutational robustness of the intrinsically disordered viral protein VPg and of its interactor eIF4E

PLoS One. 2019 Feb 14;14(2):e0211725. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211725. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Conformational intrinsic disorder is a feature present in many virus proteins. Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) have weaker structural requirement than ordered regions and mutations in IDRs could have a lower impact on the virus fitness. This could favor its exploration of adaptive solutions. The potyviral protein VPg contains IDRs with determinants for adaptation to its host plant. To experimentally assess whether IDRs are more resistant to mutations than ordered regions, the biologically relevant interaction between mutant libraries of both VPg and the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and their respective wild type partner was examined using yeast two hybrid assay. Our data shows that VPg is significantly more robust to mutations than eIF4E and as such belongs to a particular class of intrinsically disordered proteins. This result is discussed from the standpoint of IDRs involvement in the virus adaptive processes.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Capsicum / genetics
  • Capsicum / metabolism
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / genetics
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / metabolism*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics
  • Intrinsically Disordered Proteins / genetics
  • Intrinsically Disordered Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Potyvirus / genetics
  • Potyvirus / metabolism*
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E
  • Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Viral Proteins

Supplementary concepts

  • Potato virus A

Grants and funding

This work was supported by: YH, fellowship, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; JL, TL, internship special grants, University of Bordeaux, France; JC, PhD grant, Ministère de l'enseignement supérieur, de la recherche et de l'innovation, France.