Cytoplasm Of Infected Cells Research Articles

Open reading frame 60 of the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus plays a role in budded virus production

Open reading frame 60 ( bm60) of the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a conserved gene among group I and some group II NPVs. bm60 encodes a late expressed protein that localizes to both the cytoplasm and nucleus of infected cells. This paper describes the characterization of a BmNPV mutant (vbm60-Null) lacking functional bm60. It was observed that the production of budded virus (BV) was reduced by nearly an order of magnitude relative to wt virus in vbm60-Null-infected BmN cells and B. mori larvae. Quantitative real-time PCR assay showed that the viral DNA replication was affected in infected cells due to disruption of bm60. Larval bioassays showed that the speed of kill of vbm60-Null virus was greatly reduced, as it took approximately 28–36 h longer to kill the fifth instar B. mori larvae. These results suggest that BmNPV bm60 is not essential for viral replication, but required for efficient BV production.

Immunodetection and subcellular localization of Mal de Río Cuarto virus P9-1 protein in infected plant and insect host cells

Mal de Río Cuarto virus (MRCV), a member of the genus Fijivirus, family Reoviridae, has a genome consisting of 10 dsRNA segments. The segment 9 (S9) possesses two non-overlapping open reading frames (ORF-1 and ORF-2) encoding two putative proteins, MRCV P9-1 and MRCV P9-2, both of unknown function. The MRCV S9 ORF-1 was RT-PCR amplified, expressed in pET-15b vector, and the recombinant protein produced was used to raise an antiserum in rabbit. Western blot with the specific MRCV P9-1 antiserum detected a protein of about 39 kDa molecular weight present in crude protein extracts from infected plants and insects. However, no reaction was observed when this antiserum was tested against purified virus. In contrast, only virus particles were detected by a MRCV-coat antiserum used as a validation control. These results suggest that MRCV S9 ORF-1 encodes a non-structural protein of MRCV. Immunoelectron microscopy assays confirmed these results, and localized the MRCV P9-1 protein exclusively in electron-dense granular viroplasms within the cytoplasm of infected plants and insects cells. As viroplasms are believed to be the replication sites of reoviruses, the intracellular location of MRCV P9-1 protein suggests that it might be involved in the assembly process of MRCV particles.

Bicaudal D1-Dependent Trafficking of Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Protein pp150 in Virus-Infected Cells

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) virion assembly takes place in the nucleus and cytoplasm of infected cells. The HCMV virion tegument protein pp150 (ppUL32) is an essential protein of HCMV and has been suggested to play a role in the cytoplasmic phase of HCMV assembly. To further define its role in viral assembly and to identify host cell proteins that interact with pp150 during viral assembly, we utilized yeast two-hybrid analyses to detect an interaction between pp150 and Bicaudal D1 (BicD1), a protein thought to play a role in trafficking within the secretory pathway. BicD1 is known to interact with the dynein motor complex and the Rab6 GTPase. The interaction between pp150 and BicD1 was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Depletion of BicD1 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) caused decreased virus yield and a defect in trafficking of pp150 to the cytoplasmic viral assembly compartment (AC), without altering trafficking to the AC of another essential tegument protein, pp28, or the viral glycoprotein complex gM/gN. The C terminus of BicD1 has been previously shown to interact with the GTPase Rab6, suggesting a potential role for Rab6-mediated vesicular trafficking in HCMV assembly. Finally, overexpression of the N terminus of truncated BicD1 acts in a dominant-negative manner and leads to disruption of the AC and a decrease in the assembly of infectious virus. This phenotype was similar to that observed following overexpression of dynamitin (p50) and provided additional evidence that morphogenesis of the AC and virus assembly were dynein dependent.

Production and Function of the Cytoplasmic Deproteinized Relaxed Circular DNA of Hepadnaviruses

Removal of genome-bound viral DNA polymerase ought to be an essential step in the formation of hepadnavirus covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). We previously demonstrated that deproteinized (DP) relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) existed in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of infected cells and the vast majority of cytoplasmic DP rcDNA was associated with DNase I-permeable nucleocapsids. In our efforts to investigate the role of the cytoplasmic DP rcDNA in cccDNA formation, we demonstrated that rcDNA deproteinization could occur in an endogenous DNA polymerase reaction with either virion-derived or intracellular nucleocapsids. As observed in the cytoplasm of virally infected cells, in vitro deproteinization requires the maturation of plus-strand DNA and results in changes in nucleocapsid structure that render the DP rcDNA susceptible to DNase I digestion. Remarkably, we found that the cytoplasmic DP rcDNA-containing nucleocapsids could be selectively immunoprecipitated with an antibody against the carboxyl-terminal peptide of HBV core protein and are associated with cellular nuclear transport receptors karyopherin-alpha and -beta. Moreover, transfection of small interfering RNA targeting karyopherin-beta1 mRNA or expression of a dominant-negative karyopherin-beta1 in a stable cell line supporting HBV replication resulted in the accumulation of DP rcDNA in cytoplasm and reduction of nuclear DP rcDNA and cccDNA. Our results thus favor a hypothesis that completion of plus-strand DNA synthesis triggers the genomic DNA deproteinization and structural changes of nucleocapsids, which leads to the exposure of nuclear localization signals in the C terminus of core protein and mediates the nuclear transportation of DP rcDNA via interaction with karyopherin-alpha and -beta.

Dengue Virus Capsid Protein Usurps Lipid Droplets for Viral Particle Formation

Dengue virus is responsible for the highest rates of disease and mortality among the members of the Flavivirus genus. Dengue epidemics are still occurring around the world, indicating an urgent need of prophylactic vaccines and antivirals. In recent years, a great deal has been learned about the mechanisms of dengue virus genome amplification. However, little is known about the process by which the capsid protein recruits the viral genome during encapsidation. Here, we found that the mature capsid protein in the cytoplasm of dengue virus infected cells accumulates on the surface of ER-derived organelles named lipid droplets. Mutagenesis analysis using infectious dengue virus clones has identified specific hydrophobic amino acids, located in the center of the capsid protein, as key elements for lipid droplet association. Substitutions of amino acid L50 or L54 in the capsid protein disrupted lipid droplet targeting and impaired viral particle formation. We also report that dengue virus infection increases the number of lipid droplets per cell, suggesting a link between lipid droplet metabolism and viral replication. In this regard, we found that pharmacological manipulation of the amount of lipid droplets in the cell can be a means to control dengue virus replication. In addition, we developed a novel genetic system to dissociate cis-acting RNA replication elements from the capsid coding sequence. Using this system, we found that mislocalization of a mutated capsid protein decreased viral RNA amplification. We propose that lipid droplets play multiple roles during the viral life cycle; they could sequester the viral capsid protein early during infection and provide a scaffold for genome encapsidation.

Leptospira interrogans inducing apoptosis of macrophages through mitochondria-associated signaling pathway

Objective To determine mitochondria-associated signaling pathway on cell apoptosis in Leptospira interrogans infected murine mononuclear-macrophages. Methods A cell apoptotic model of L. interrogan serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae strain Lai inducing apoptosis of murine mononuclear-macrophage line (J774A. 1) was established. Pathological changes of mitochondria in the infected cells were observed under transmission electron microscope. Mitochondrial potential and reactive oxygen species(ROS) levels in the infected cells were detected using JC-1 staining method and DCFH-DA fluorescent probe, respectively,and caspase-8/-9 activities in the infected cells were measured using commercial kits. and the apoptosis block effects of caspase inhibitors were determined by flow cytometry. Apoptosis in the infected cells and ap-optosis-blocking effect by caspase inhibitors were detected by flow cytometry. Western blot assay was adopted to examine the levels of cytochrome C (CytC) , AIF, EndoG and Smae in the mitochondria and cytoplasm.The transposition of either AIF or EndoG from the cytoplasm into cell nucleus was determined by immunoflu-orescence staining test. Results L. interrogans strain Lai could induce J774A. 1 cell apoptoais. In the in-fected cells, visible mitochondrial injury, declined mitochondrial membrane potential and elevated ROS level were presented. The activity of caspase-8 but not of caspase-9 was significantly increased. The caspase in-hihitors could not completely block the cell apoptosis. Both the AIF and EndoG was released from the mito-chondria and subsequently transferred from the cytoplasm into the nucleus in the infected cells. However,elevation of CytC level and Smac release in cytoplasm of the infected cells could not be found. Conclusion L.interrogans can induce apoptosis in the infected mononuclear-macrophage via AIF and EndoG belonging to caspase-independent pathway. Key words: Leptospira interrogans; Cell apoptosis; Mitochondria; Caspase-independent apoptotic pathway

5′-triphosphate RNA requires base-paired structures to activate antiviral signaling via RIG-I

The ATPase retinoid acid-inducible gene (RIG)-I senses viral RNA in the cytoplasm of infected cells and subsequently activates cellular antiviral defense mechanisms. RIG-I recognizes molecular structures that discriminate viral from host RNA. Here, we show that RIG-I ligands require base-paired structures in conjunction with a free 5'-triphosphate to trigger antiviral signaling. Hitherto unavailable chemically synthesized 5'-triphosphate RNA ligands do not trigger RIG-I-dependent IFN production in cells, and they are unable to trigger the ATPase activity of RIG-I without a base-paired stretch. Consistently, immunostimulatory RNA from cells infected with a virus recognized by RIG-I is sensitive to double-strand, but not single-strand, specific RNases. In vitro, base-paired stretches and the 5'-triphosphate bind to distinct sites of RIG-I and synergize to trigger the induction of signaling competent RIG-I multimers. Strengthening our model of a bipartite molecular pattern for RIG-I activation, we show that the activity of supposedly "single-stranded" 5'-triphosphate RNAs generated by in vitro transcription depends on extended and base-paired by-products inadvertently, but commonly, produced by this method. Together, our findings accurately define a minimal molecular pattern sufficient to activate RIG-I that can be found in viral genomes or transcripts.

Mouse Norovirus Replication Is Associated with Virus-Induced Vesicle Clusters Originating from Membranes Derived from the Secretory Pathway

Human noroviruses (family Caliciviridae) are the leading cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Despite the prevalence of these viruses within the community, the study of human norovirus has largely been hindered due to the inability to cultivate the viruses ex vivo and the lack of a small-animal model. In 2003, the discovery of a novel murine norovirus (MNV-1) and the identification of the tropism of MNV-1 for cells of a mononuclear origin led to the establishment of the first norovirus tissue culture system. Like other positive-sense RNA viruses, MNV-1 replication is associated with host membranes, which undergo significant rearrangement during infection. We characterize here the subcellular localization of the MNV-1 open reading frame 1 proteins and viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Over the course of infection, dsRNA and the MNV-1 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS7) were observed to proliferate from punctate foci located in the perinuclear region. All of the MNV-1 open reading frame 1 proteins were observed to colocalize with dsRNA during the course of infection. The MNV-1 replication complex was immunolocalized to virus-induced vesicle clusters formed in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Both dsRNA and MNV-1 NS7 were observed to localize to the limiting membrane of the individual clusters by cryo-immunoelectron microscopy. We show that the MNV-1 replication complex initially associates with membranes derived from the endoplasmic reticulum, trans-Golgi apparatus, and endosomes. In addition, we show that MNV-1 replication is insensitive to the fungal metabolite brefeldin A and consistently does not appear to recruit coatomer protein complex I (COPI) or COPII component proteins during replication. These data provide preliminary insights into key aspects of replication of MNV-1, which will potentially further our understanding of the pathogenesis of noroviruses and aid in the identification of potential targets for drug development.

Host Shutoff Is a Conserved Phenotype of Gammaherpesvirus Infection and Is Orchestrated Exclusively from the Cytoplasm

Lytic infection with the two human gammaherpesviruses, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), leads to significant depletion of the cellular transcriptome. This host shutoff phenotype is driven by the conserved herpesviral alkaline exonuclease, termed SOX in KSHV and BGLF5 in EBV, which in gammaherpesviruses has evolved the genetically separable ability to target cellular mRNA. We now show that host shutoff is also a prominent consequence of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) infection, which is widely used as a model system to study pathogenesis of these viruses in vivo. The effector of MHV68-induced host shutoff is its SOX homolog, here termed muSOX. There is remarkable functional conservation of muSOX host shutoff activities with those of KSHV SOX, including the recently described ability of SOX to induce mRNA hyperadenylation in the nucleus as well as cause nuclear relocalization of the poly(A) binding protein. SOX and muSOX localize to both the nucleus and cytoplasm of infected cells. Using spatially restricted variants of these proteins, we go on to demonstrate that all known host shutoff-related activities of SOX and muSOX are orchestrated exclusively from the cytoplasm. These results have important mechanistic implications for how SOX and muSOX target nascent cellular transcripts in the nucleus. Furthermore, our findings establish MHV68 as a new, genetically tractable model to study host shutoff.

Production and characterization of antibodies against vaccinia virus DNA polymerase

Poxviruses are large DNA viruses that replicate in discrete locations in the cytoplasm of infected cells called viral factories. Because the host cell DNA replication machinery is located in the nucleus, poxviruses encode many of the proteins required for their own DNA replication, including a DNA polymerase. Although many if not all of the enzymes that are required for viral DNA replication have been identified, the actual mechanism of poxvirus DNA replication remains unclear. Two monoclonal antibodies and a polyclonal antibody against vaccinia virus DNA polymerase were produced and characterized for use as tools to investigate the mechanism of virus DNA replication. Although the monoclonal antibodies were not suitable for Western blotting, the polyclonal antibody was able to detect the protein in infected cell lysates using this method. In contrast, while the polyclonal antibody did not recognize the DNA polymerase when used for immunofluorescence microscopy, the monoclonal antibodies were able to detect the polymerase in vaccinia viral factories. In addition, one of these antibodies also stained viral factories produced by cowpox and ectromelia, two closely related viruses. Finally, all three antibodies were able to immunoprecipitate vaccinia DNA polymerase from infected cell lysates. These antibodies will be useful in experiments designed to describe more fully the role of the viral DNA polymerase in DNA replication of vaccinia virus.

Vaccinia virus infection & temporal analysis of virus gene expression: Part 3

The family Poxviridae consists of large double-stranded DNA containing viruses that replicate exclusively in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Members of the orthopox genus include variola, the causative agent of human small pox, monkeypox, and vaccinia (VAC), the prototypic member of the virus family. Within the relatively large (~ 200 kb) vaccinia genome, three classes of genes are encoded: early, intermediate, and late. While all three classes are transcribed by virally-encoded RNA polymerases, each class serves a different function in the life cycle of the virus. Poxviruses utilize multiple strategies for modulation of the host cellular environment during infection. In order to understand regulation of both host and virus gene expression, we have utilized genome-wide approaches to analyze transcript abundance from both virus and host cells. Here, we demonstrate time course infections of HeLa cells with Vaccinia virus and sampling RNA at several time points post-infection. Both host and viral total RNA is isolated and amplified for hybridization to microarrays for analysis of gene expression.

Vaccinia Virus Infection & Temporal Analysis of Virus Gene Expression: Part 2

The family Poxviridae consists of large double-stranded DNA containing viruses that replicate exclusively in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Members of the orthopox genus include variola, the causative agent of human small pox, monkeypox, and vaccinia (VAC), the prototypic member of the virus family. Within the relatively large (~ 200 kb) vaccinia genome, three classes of genes are encoded: early, intermediate, and late. While all three classes are transcribed by virally-encoded RNA polymerases, each class serves a different function in the life cycle of the virus. Poxviruses utilize multiple strategies for modulation of the host cellular environment during infection. In order to understand regulation of both host and virus gene expression, we have utilized genome-wide approaches to analyze transcript abundance from both virus and host cells. Here, we demonstrate time course infections of HeLa cells with Vaccinia virus and sampling RNA at several time points post-infection. Both host and viral total RNA is isolated and amplified for hybridization to microarrays for analysis of gene expression.

Vaccinia virus infection & temporal analysis of virus gene expression: Part 1

The family Poxviridae consists of large double-stranded DNA containing viruses that replicate exclusively in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Members of the orthopox genus include variola, the causative agent of human small pox, monkeypox, and vaccinia (VAC), the prototypic member of the virus family. Within the relatively large (~ 200 kb) vaccinia genome, three classes of genes are encoded: early, intermediate, and late. While all three classes are transcribed by virally-encoded RNA polymerases, each class serves a different function in the life cycle of the virus. Poxviruses utilize multiple strategies for modulation of the host cellular environment during infection. In order to understand regulation of both host and virus gene expression, we have utilized genome-wide approaches to analyze transcript abundance from both virus and host cells. Here, we demonstrate time course infections of HeLa cells with Vaccinia virus and sampling RNA at several time points post-infection. Both host and viral total RNA is isolated and amplified for hybridization to microarrays for analysis of gene expression.

Broad Tissue and Cell Tropism of Avian Bornavirus in Parrots with Proventricular Dilatation Disease

Avian bornaviruses (ABV), representing a new genus within the family Bornaviridae, were recently discovered in parrots from North America and Israel with proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). We show here that closely related viruses are also present in captive European parrots of various species with PDD. The six ABV strains that we identified in clinically diseased birds are new members of the previously defined ABV genotypes 2 and 4. Viruses of both genotypes readily established persistent, noncytolytic infections in quail and chicken cell lines but did not grow in cultured mammalian cells in which classical Borna disease virus strains replicate very efficiently. ABV antigens were present in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of infected cells, suggesting nuclear replication of ABV. The genome organization of avian and mammalian bornaviruses is highly conserved except that ABV lacks a distinct control element in the 5' noncoding region of the bicistronic mRNA encoding the viral proteins X and P. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis demonstrated the presence of virus in many, if not all, organs of birds with PDD. Viral nucleic acid was also found in feces of diseased birds, suggesting virus transmission by the fecal-oronasal route. Immunohistochemical analysis of organs from birds with PDD revealed that infection with ABV is not restricted to cells of the nervous system. Thus, ABV exhibits a broad tissue and cell tropism that is strikingly different from classical Borna disease virus.

Localization of human (pro)renin receptor lacking the transmembrane domain on budded baculovirus of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus

Human (pro)renin receptor (hPRR), a construct with native transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains (hPRR-wTM), and hPRR lacking both (hPRR-w/oTM) were expressed using insect cells. The hPRR-wTM was expressed in the peripheral domains of the nucleus in infected Sf-9 cells, and its localization was observed in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, it could not be extracted from recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) by Triton X-100 treatment at 4 degrees C. In contrast, hPRR-w/oTM was observed in punctate domains in the cytoplasm of infected Sf-9 cells, but intracellular hPRR-w/oTM did not co-localize in the Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. This indicates that hPRR-wTM and hPRR-w/oTM is localized in the ER and cytoplasmic organelles of Sf-9 cell, respectively. Moreover, the localization of hPRR-w/oTM in budded baculovirus of recombinant AcMNPV was confirmed by Western blotting. This is the first finding of the association of a foreign protein lacking a transmembrane domain with a baculovirus. If this finding is available for double displaying system, being capable of expression on the envelope and the capsid of baculovirus, it will lead to new methodology of baculovirus display system for tissue- and cell-specific targeting and intracellular targeting.

Involvement of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF41 ( Bm41) in BV production and ODV envelopment

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) ORF41 ( Bm41), homologous to Ac52, is a gene present in most lepidopteran nucleopolyhedroviruses. Bm41 transcripts and encoded protein in BmNPV-infected cells can be detected from 3 and 6 h post-infection, respectively. Immunoassays have shown that Bm41 is not a viral structural protein and is detected in both the nuclei and cytoplasm of infected cells. A Bm41-disrupted virus (vBm De) and a repaired virus (vBm Re) were generated to investigate the function of Bm41. The results showed that Bm41 was essential for viral replication, and the disruption of Bm41 resulted in a much lower viral titer. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that disruption of Bm41 affected normal nucleocapsid envelopment and polyhedra formation in the nucleus. The disruption of Bm41 might severely affect odv-ec27 and polyhedrin expression. The disrupted virus reduced BmNPV infectivity in an LD 50 bioassay and took 18–23 h longer to kill larvae than wild-type virus in an LT 50 bioassay.

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF9 is a gene involved in the budded virus production and infectivity

The ORF9 of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) (Bm9) is conserved in all completely sequenced lepidopteran nucleopolyhedroviruses. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that Bm9 is an early and late transcribed gene that is initiated at 3 h post-infection, and immunofluorescence microscopy showed that Bm9 is localized mainly in the cytoplasm of infected cells. To determine the role of Bm9 during virus infection, Bm9 was knocked out by recombination in a BmNPV genome propagated as a bacmid in Escherichia coli. The budded virus (BV) production of Bm9-deleted bacmids was reduced more than 10-fold compared with wild-type (wt) bacmid; however, the kinetics of viral DNA replication were unaffected. The defect in BV production was recovered by the Bm9 rescue bacmid. In addition, electron microscope observations revealed that polyhedra formation was not affected by the deletion of Bm9. Bioassays showed that the Bm9-deleted bacmid took approximately 14-22 h longer to kill fifth instar B. mori larvae than wt bacmid, and the LD(50) was about 15 times higher than that of the wt bacmid. In conclusion, Bm9 is an important but not essential factor in virus production and infectivity in vivo and in vitro.

Storage of cellular 5′ mRNA caps in P bodies for viral cap-snatching

The minus strand and ambisense segmented RNA viruses include multiple important human pathogens and are divided into three families, the Orthomyxoviridae, the Bunyaviridae, and the Arenaviridae. These viruses all initiate viral transcription through the process of "cap-snatching," which involves the acquisition of capped 5' oligonucleotides from cellular mRNA. Hantaviruses are emerging pathogenic viruses of the Bunyaviridae family that replicate in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Cellular mRNAs can be actively translated in polysomes or physically sequestered in cytoplasmic processing bodies (P bodies) where they are degraded or stored for subsequent translation. Here we show that the hantavirus nucleocapsid protein binds with high affinity to the 5' cap of cellular mRNAs, protecting the 5' cap from degradation. We also show that the hantavirus nucleocapsid protein accumulates in P bodies, where it sequesters protected 5' caps. P bodies then serve as a pool of primers during the initiation of viral mRNA synthesis by the viral polymerase. We propose that minus strand segmented viruses replicating in the cytoplasm have co-opted the normal degradation machinery of P bodies for storage of cellular caps. Our data also indicate that modification of the cap-snatching model is warranted to include a role for the nucleocapsid protein in cap acquisition and storage.

FRET imaging of hemoglobin concentration in Plasmodium falciparum-infected red cells.

BackgroundDuring its intraerythrocytic asexual reproduction cycle Plasmodium falciparum consumes up to 80% of the host cell hemoglobin, in large excess over its metabolic needs. A model of the homeostasis of falciparum-infected red blood cells suggested an explanation based on the need to reduce the colloid-osmotic pressure within the host cell to prevent its premature lysis. Critical for this hypothesis was that the hemoglobin concentration within the host cell be progressively reduced from the trophozoite stage onwards.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe experiments reported here were designed to test this hypothesis by direct measurements of the hemoglobin concentration in live, infected red cells. We developed a novel, non-invasive method to quantify the hemoglobin concentration in single cells, based on Förster resonance energy transfer between hemoglobin molecules and the fluorophore calcein. Fluorescence lifetime imaging allowed the quantitative mapping of the hemoglobin concentration within the cells. The average fluorescence lifetimes of uninfected cohorts was 270±30 ps (mean±SD; N = 45). In the cytoplasm of infected cells the fluorescence lifetime of calcein ranged from 290±20 ps for cells with ring stage parasites to 590±13 ps and 1050±60 ps for cells with young trophozoites and late stage trophozoite/ early schizonts, respectively. This was equivalent to reductions in hemoglobin concentration spanning the range from 7.3 to 2.3 mM, in line with the model predictions. An unexpected ancillary finding was the existence of a microdomain under the host cell membrane with reduced calcein quenching by hemoglobin in cells with mature trophozoite stage parasites.Conclusions/SignificanceThe results support the predictions of the colloid-osmotic hypothesis and provide a better understanding of the homeostasis of malaria-infected red cells. In addition, they revealed the existence of a distinct peripheral microdomain in the host cell with limited access to hemoglobin molecules indicating the concentration of substantial amounts of parasite-exported material.

Differing Roles of Inner Tegument Proteins pUL36 and pUL37 during Entry of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1

Studies with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have shown that secondary envelopment and virus release are blocked in mutants deleted for the tegument protein gene UL36 or UL37, leading to the accumulation of DNA-containing capsids in the cytoplasm of infected cells. The failure to assemble infectious virions has meant that the roles of these genes in the initial stages of infection could not be investigated. To circumvent this, cells infected at a low multiplicity were fused to form syncytia, thereby allowing capsids released from infected nuclei access to uninfected nuclei without having to cross a plasma membrane. Visualization of virus DNA replication showed that a UL37-minus mutant was capable of transmitting infection to all the nuclei within a syncytium as efficiently as the wild-type HSV-1 strain 17(+) did, whereas infection by UL36-minus mutants failed to spread. Thus, these inner tegument proteins have differing functions, with pUL36 being essential during both the assembly and uptake stages of infection, while pUL37 is needed for the formation of virions but is not required during the initial stages of infection. Analysis of noninfectious enveloped particles (L-particles) further showed that pUL36 and pUL37 are dependent on each other for incorporation into tegument.