Investigating the Role of the Human Parvovirus B19's Main Viral Protein, NS1, in Viral Replication and Interactions with Host DNA

Abstract

Human Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a ubiquitous virus that infects the majority of the human population. B19V is a non‐enveloped, single stranded DNA virus with a viral genome composed of 5594 nucleotides. Infection with B19V has been associated with a multitude of diseases, such as hydrops fetalis, arthropathy, hepatitis, cardiomyopathy, erythema infectiosum (Fifth disease), and possible onset of a variety of autoimmune diseases. The viral genome of B19V encodes for five known, possible six, protein products: VP1 and VP2 that compose the capsid, NS1, the main viral protein, and two to three smaller protein products of indistinct function. The main replicative protein, NS1, is a multiple domain protein with a nuclease domain, helicase domain, and a C‐terminal domain. Through its multi‐functional capabilities, NS1 has been hypothesized to play several roles in the triggering autoimmune disease via formation of covalent DNA‐NS1 adducts and/or host gene transactivation. In order to understand the mechanism behind NS1's ability to bind viral and host genomic DNA, biochemical experiments were carried out to build a model for NS1's role in viral genome replications and host gene transactivation capabilities.Support or Funding InformationSupported by: the National Science Foundation under Grant MCB1410355, and National Institutes of Health via Grant S10OD013237