The long-term goal of this research is to learn more about the structure and function of herpesvirus proteins, and translate that information to new diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic strategies for dealing with CMV-related diseases of man. We use cytomegalovirus (CMV) as our model system because of its medical relevance to immunosuppresion resulting from AIDS, organ transplantation, and cancer chemotherapy, and to sexually transmitted diseases and birth defects. Additionally, there is a need to determine the molecular similarities and differences between herpes group viruses in order to understand their biological differences. Our more immediate objectives are to study the synthesis, structure, and function of specific viral proteins that are essential for virus replication, with a concentration on those involved in virus assembly. Our rationale for studying virus structure and assembly is that most aspects of virus replication are directly or indirectly coupled to the assembly process; therefore, it ultimately represents a major and largely untapped source of new targets for antivirals.
The specific aims of the work proposed here are to uncover processes that modulate the very early and intermediate stages of CMV assembly. We will continue our studies of how the proteins of the capsid interact and why, and what modifications they undergo and how these govern the process of capsid formation and maturation. Our plans also include studying three of the tegument proteins that appear to be most closely associated with the capsid and which may anker other tegument or envelope proteins to the capsid, or perhaps help the capsid negotiate the nuclear membrane as it exits or target it after entry. We will apply a combination of biochemical, cryo-EM/imaging, and genetic experiments to bear on these questions, including (i) use of a recently developed in vitro binding system to study capsid/tegument interactions, and (ii) use of the HCMV-bacterial artificial chromosome system to produce mutant viruses.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI013718-28
Application #
6751649
Study Section
Virology Study Section (VR)
Program Officer
Beisel, Christopher E
Project Start
1977-09-01
Project End
2006-05-31
Budget Start
2004-06-01
Budget End
2005-05-31
Support Year
28
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$367,875
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218
Tullman, Jennifer A; Harmon, Mary-Elizabeth; Delannoy, Michael et al. (2014) Recovery of an HMWP/hmwBP (pUL48/pUL47) complex from virions of human cytomegalovirus: subunit interactions, oligomer composition, and deubiquitylase activity. J Virol 88:8256-67
Fernandes, Steve M; Brignole, Edward J; Taori, Kanchan et al. (2011) Cytomegalovirus capsid protease: biological substrates are cleaved more efficiently by full-length enzyme (pUL80a) than by the catalytic domain (assemblin). J Virol 85:3526-34
Margulies, Barry J; Gibson, Wade (2007) The chemokine receptor homologue encoded by US27 of human cytomegalovirus is heavily glycosylated and is present in infected human foreskin fibroblasts and enveloped virus particles. Virus Res 123:57-71
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Loveland, Amy N; Chan, Chee-Kai; Brignole, Edward J et al. (2005) Cleavage of human cytomegalovirus protease pUL80a at internal and cryptic sites is not essential but enhances infectivity. J Virol 79:12961-8
Chan, Chee-Kai; Brignole, Edward J; Gibson, Wade (2002) Cytomegalovirus assemblin (pUL80a): cleavage at internal site not essential for virus growth; proteinase absent from virions. J Virol 76:8667-74
Baxter, M K; Gibson, W (2001) Cytomegalovirus basic phosphoprotein (pUL32) binds to capsids in vitro through its amino one-third. J Virol 75:6865-73
Plafker, S M; Woods, A S; Gibson, W (1999) Phosphorylation of simian cytomegalovirus assembly protein precursor (pAPNG.5) and proteinase precursor (pAPNG1): multiple attachment sites identified, including two adjacent serines in a casein kinase II consensus sequence. J Virol 73:9053-62

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