The long-term objective of this research is to identify, characterize, and exploit drug targets of human herpesviruses. This research is especially health-related, as new drugs are needed for treatment of herpesvirus infections, particularly those of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). In this application, two HCMV proteins UL50 and UL53 are investigated for involvement in the unusual process by which nucleocapsids transit from the nucleus to the cytoplasm (nuclear egress). These proteins interact to form a nuclear egress complex (NEC) that can serve as a new drug target. The roles of these proteins in two important steps of nuclear egress - movement of capsids towards the nuclear rim, and budding through the inner nuclear membrane - are poorly understood and are a major focus of this application.
Specific aim 1 is to investigate how HCMV capsids move from the nuclear interior to the nuclear rim. The roles of nuclear actin and myosin Va in this process will be investigated using live cell imaging and single particle tracking analyses of infected cells that either express dominant negative mutants of these proteins or have been treated with actin inhibitors. Similar analyses will be performed on UL53 mutant viruses. Whether UL53 can link capsids to myosin Va will be tested biochemically using purified capsids and proteins.
Specific aim 2 is to investigate how the NEC orchestrates budding through the inner nuclear membrane. A possible role for the AAA ATPase, VCP, and its co-factors in this process will be examined initially by assessing associations of these host proteins with the NEC using immunofluorescence, immuno-electron microscopy, and co-immunoprecipitation. These studies will be followed by measuring the effects of siRNAs that block expression of the host proteins and VCP inhibitors on nuclear egress in infected cells, and vesiculation in cells expressing the NEC or its subunits, but no other viral proteins. Whether VCP and its co-factors can promote budding in vitro will be studied using giant unilamellar vesicles in collaboration with the Heldwein laboratory.
Specific aim 3 is to determine structures of the NEC and its subunits. The structures of a complex of truncated versions of UL50 and UL53 that retain all sequences that are conserved among herpesviruses, and of a similar version of UL53 will be determined by X- ray crystallography. In collaboration with the Wagner laboratory, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) will be used to solve similar versions of UL50, and the mouse CMV homologs of UL53 and the complex. A longer term goal is to solve the structure of a near-full length complex using X-ray crystallography.
Specific aim 4 is to use a high throughput assay and, with the Wagner laboratory, NMR-based fragment screening for small molecules that inhibit subunit interactions of the NEC. Hits will be then assayed for specificity, for anti-HCMV activity and cytotoxicity, and for their mechanism of inhibition, and will be developed into leads in collaboration with medicinal chemists.

Public Health Relevance

HCMV causes severe disease in people with impaired immunity, and is associated with a number of chronic diseases in the immunocompetent population. There is considerable need for new drugs to combat HCMV, as current drugs have major limitations. The research proposed should not only provide information about virus biology and proteins that could aid in understanding drug targets and mechanisms, but aims directly to discover new anti-HCMV drugs.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI026077-31
Application #
9439683
Study Section
Virology - A Study Section (VIRA)
Program Officer
Davis, Mindy I
Project Start
1988-04-01
Project End
2020-02-29
Budget Start
2018-03-01
Budget End
2019-02-28
Support Year
31
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard Medical School
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
047006379
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Wilkie, Adrian R; Sharma, Mayuri; Pesola, Jean M et al. (2018) A Role for Myosin Va in Human Cytomegalovirus Nuclear Egress. J Virol 92:
Beelontally, Rooksarr; Wilkie, Gavin S; Lau, Betty et al. (2017) Identification of compounds with anti-human cytomegalovirus activity that inhibit production of IE2 proteins. Antiviral Res 138:61-67
Strang, Blair L (2017) RO0504985 is an inhibitor of CMGC kinase proteins and has anti-human cytomegalovirus activity. Antiviral Res 144:21-26
Lye, Ming F; Wilkie, Adrian R; Filman, David J et al. (2017) Getting to and through the inner nuclear membrane during herpesvirus nuclear egress. Curr Opin Cell Biol 46:9-16
Khan, Amina S; Murray, Matthew J; Ho, Catherine M K et al. (2017) High-throughput screening of a GlaxoSmithKline protein kinase inhibitor set identifies an inhibitor of human cytomegalovirus replication that prevents CREB and histone H3 post-translational modification. J Gen Virol 98:754-768
Sharma, Mayuri; Kamil, Jeremy P; Coen, Donald M (2016) Preparation of the Human Cytomegalovirus Nuclear Egress Complex and Associated Proteins. Methods Enzymol 569:517-26
Wilkie, Adrian R; Lawler, Jessica L; Coen, Donald M (2016) A Role for Nuclear F-Actin Induction in Human Cytomegalovirus Nuclear Egress. MBio 7:
Polachek, William S; Moshrif, Hanan F; Franti, Michael et al. (2016) High-Throughput Small Interfering RNA Screening Identifies Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Class II Alpha as Important for Production of Human Cytomegalovirus Virions. J Virol 90:8360-71
Sharma, Mayuri; Bender, Brian J; Kamil, Jeremy P et al. (2015) Human cytomegalovirus UL97 phosphorylates the viral nuclear egress complex. J Virol 89:523-34
Lye, Ming F; Sharma, Mayuri; El Omari, Kamel et al. (2015) Unexpected features and mechanism of heterodimer formation of a herpesvirus nuclear egress complex. EMBO J 34:2937-52

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