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Preparation of expression vectors and virus mutants for studies of the minor structural proteins of polyomaviruses.
Cibulka, Jakub ; Forstová, Jitka (advisor) ; Šroller, Vojtěch (referee)
Polyomaviruses are small non-enveloped DNA viruses infecting birds and mammals, including human. Their capsid consists of the major capsid protein, VP1, and two minor capsid proteins, VP2 and VP3. The VP2 and VP3 proteins are supposed to have an important function in the transport of viral genome into the cell nucleus, which is a key step to facilitate viral replication. VP2 and VP3 proteins of mouse polyomavirus and SV40 have an ability to bind and disrupt cellular membranes. This feature is believed to be involved in the transport of viral genome into the nucleus. Plasmids carrying genes of the minor capsid proteins of Merkel cell polyomavirus were prepared in order to produce and visualize these proteins in mammalian cells. These proteins are known to have very unusual sequences compared to other human polyomaviruses or related mouse polyomavirus. When produced alone, the minor capsid proteins of Merkel cell polyomavirus did not significantly interact with cellular membranes, unlike the minor proteins of the mouse polyomavirus. The second goal of this work was to prepare mouse polyomavirus mutants with deletion in hydrophobic domains of VP2 and VP3 proteins. These domains are likely responsible for the mentioned membrane interactions. Prepared mutants were non-infectious. The loss of infectivity was not...
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The role of posttranslational modifications of minor proteins and acetylation of microtubules in mouse polyomavirus infection
Mariničová, Zuzana ; Horníková, Lenka (advisor) ; Saláková, Martina (referee)
Mouse polyomavirus (MPyV) capsid is composed of the main capsid protein VP1 and minor capsid proteins VP2 and VP3. Minor proteins are not essential capsid assembly, but they are key for efficient viral infection. The first part of this thesis studies the modifications of VP2 and VP3, the deamidation of Asn at 253 of VP2 (137 of VP3) and N-terminal acetylation of Ala of VP3, which could be the cause of double bands for VP2 and VP3 on SDS-PAGE. Mutated genomes of MPyV N253D (Asn to Asp) and N253E (Asn to Glu) simulating deamidation and A117V (Ala to Val) with reduced acetylation were prepared previously. We prepared three isolations of the mutant viruses and we confirmed that the deamidation is the cause of the double bands. Mutant viruses were compared to the wild type in terms of efficiency of infection, but the role of deamidation could not be proven. Virus A117V is noninfectious either due to lowered acetylation or the substitution of amino acid at this position. This thesis also studies the role of -tubulin acetylation in the infection of MPyV. The role of -tubulin acetylation in viral infection is being investigated to find new antiviral strategies. Acetylation rises after MPyV infection, but this is not due to a change in mRNA expression of tubulin acetylating (TAT1) or deacetylating enzyme...
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Optimization of methods for analysis of early steps of mouse polymavirus life cycle
Soukup, Jakub ; Španielová, Hana (advisor) ; Němečková, Šárka (referee)
Mouse polyomavirus is a type species of Polyomaviridae family and serves as model for studying viral infection of human pathogenic polyomaviruses. Minor proteins of viral capsid have been found to be necessary for effective initiation of infection. In order to study their role in the early steps of infection we utilized the novel Cre-LoxP system for production of the viral mutant lacking both minor proteins. Virus produced this way was compared with virus produced by standard method and we found that both systems facilitate production of mutant virus with the comparable quality and quantity. The mutant virus contained reduced amount of viral DNA and formed virions with impaired stability. For further studies of intracellular virion trafficking we prepared virions with genomes modified by thymidine analogues 5- bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) and optimized the methods for analogue detection. The viral genome become accessible for detection 4 hours post infection. For ultramicroscopic analysis of translocation of virus to the nucleus we used freeze substitution. All this methods will be utilized for detailed study of distinct steps in viral infection. Key words: Mouse polyomavirus, minor proteins,...
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Studies of properties of the minor structural proteins of the Murine polyomavirus
Bílková, Eva ; Forstová, Jitka (advisor) ; Němečková, Šárka (referee)
Murine polyomavirus (MPyV) is a member of the Polyomaviridae family. Its capsid is composed of the major capsid protein, VP1, and the minor proteins, VP2 and VP3. The minor capsid proteins probably assure delivery of the viral genome through the endoplasmic reticulum membrane to the nucleus during early phase of infection. However, precise mechanism is not known. Expression plasmids encoding mutated VP2 or VP3 fused with EGFP have been constructed to study the interaction of VP2 and VP3 with membranes. The mutated proteins have deletions in the predicted hydrophobic domains. In this thesis, cell localisation of mutated proteins was followed. The study revealed that the hydrophobic domain 2 is the most important for association of VP2 and VP3 with membranes, while domains 1 and 3 are rather expendable. Further, nature of VP2 and VP3 isoforms has been studied. Isoforms with different electrophoretic mobility were separated on SDS-PAGE. Consequent mass spectrometry analysis showed that they differ in deamidation of asparagine, present at both minor proteins (position 253 of VP2 and 137 of VP3). Previously, acetylation of VP3 N-terminal alanine has been identified. To elucidate the function of these modifications, mutated viruses were constructed with substitution of these amino acids. Pilot...
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Preparation of expression vectors and virus mutants for studies of the minor structural proteins of polyomaviruses.
Cibulka, Jakub ; Forstová, Jitka (advisor) ; Šroller, Vojtěch (referee)
Polyomaviruses are small non-enveloped DNA viruses infecting birds and mammals, including human. Their capsid consists of the major capsid protein, VP1, and two minor capsid proteins, VP2 and VP3. The VP2 and VP3 proteins are supposed to have an important function in the transport of viral genome into the cell nucleus, which is a key step to facilitate viral replication. VP2 and VP3 proteins of mouse polyomavirus and SV40 have an ability to bind and disrupt cellular membranes. This feature is believed to be involved in the transport of viral genome into the nucleus. Plasmids carrying genes of the minor capsid proteins of Merkel cell polyomavirus were prepared in order to produce and visualize these proteins in mammalian cells. These proteins are known to have very unusual sequences compared to other human polyomaviruses or related mouse polyomavirus. When produced alone, the minor capsid proteins of Merkel cell polyomavirus did not significantly interact with cellular membranes, unlike the minor proteins of the mouse polyomavirus. The second goal of this work was to prepare mouse polyomavirus mutants with deletion in hydrophobic domains of VP2 and VP3 proteins. These domains are likely responsible for the mentioned membrane interactions. Prepared mutants were non-infectious. The loss of infectivity was not...
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