The C terminus of the large tegument protein pUL36 contains multiple capsid binding sites that function differently during assembly and cell entry of herpes simplex virus

The largest tegument protein of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), pUL36, is a multivalent cross-linker between the viral capsids and the tegument and associated membrane proteins during assembly that upon subsequent cell entry releases the incoming capsids from the outer tegument and viral envelope. Here we show that pUL36 was recruited to cytosolic progeny capsids that later colocalized with membrane proteins of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) and the trans-Golgi network. During cell entry, pUL36 dissociated from viral membrane proteins but remained associated with cytosolic capsids until arrival at the nucleus. HSV1 UL36 mutants lacking C-terminal portions of increasing size expressed truncated pUL36 but could not form plaques. Cytosolic capsids of mutants lacking the C-terminal 735 of the 3,164 amino acid residues accumulated in the cytosol but did not recruit pUL36 or associate with membranes. In contrast, pUL36 lacking only the 167 C-terminal residues bound to cytosolic capsids and subsequently colocalized with viral and host membrane proteins. Progeny virions fused with neighboring cells, but incoming capsids did not retain pUL36, nor could they target the nucleus or initiate HSV1 gene expression. Our data suggest that residues 2430 to 2893 of HSV1 pUL36, containing one binding site for the capsid protein pUL25, are sufficient to recruit pUL36 onto cytosolic capsids during assembly for secondary envelopment, whereas the 167 residues of the very C terminus with the second pUL25 binding site are crucial to maintain pUL36 on incoming capsids during cell entry. Capsids lacking pUL36 are targeted neither to membranes for virus assembly nor to nuclear pores for genome uncoating.     

Regulation of CHMP4/ESCRT-III function in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 budding by CC2D1A

The detachment of human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) virions depends on CHPM4 family members, which are late-acting components of the ESCRT pathway that mediate the cleavage of bud necks from the cytosolic side. We now show that in human cells, CHMP4 proteins are to a considerable extent bound to two high-molecular-weight proteins that we have identified as CC2D1A and CC2D1B. Both proteins bind to the core domain of CHMP4B, which has a strong propensity to polymerize and to inhibit HIV-1 budding. Further mapping showed that CC2D1A binds to an N-terminal hairpin within the CHMP4 core that has been implicated in polymerization. Consistent with a model in which CC2D1A and CC2D1B regulate CHMP4 polymerization, the overexpression of CC2D1A inhibited both the release of wild-type HIV-1 and the CHMP4-dependent rescue of an HIV-1 L domain mutant by exogenous ALIX. Furthermore, small interfering RNA against CC2D1A or CC2D1B increased HIV-1 budding under certain conditions. CC2D1A and CC2D1B possess four Drosophila melanogaster 14 (DM14) domains, and we demonstrate that these constitute novel CHMP4 binding modules. The DM14 domain that bound most avidly to CHMP4B was by itself sufficient to inhibit the function of ALIX in HIV-1 budding, indicating that the inhibition occurred through CHMP4 sequestration. However, N-terminal fragments of CC2D1A that did not interact with CHMP4B nevertheless retained a significant level of inhibitory activity. Thus, CC2D1A may also affect HIV-1 budding in a CHMP4-independent manner.     

CC2D1A is a regulator of ESCRT-III CHMP4B

Endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) regulate diverse processes ranging from receptor sorting at endosomes to distinct steps in cell division and budding of some enveloped viruses. Common to all processes is the membrane recruitment of ESCRT-III that leads to membrane fission. Here, we show that CC2D1A is a novel regulator of ESCRT-III CHMP4B function. We demonstrate that CHMP4B interacts directly with CC2D1A and CC2D1B with nanomolar affinity by forming a 1:1 complex. Deletion mapping revealed a minimal CC2D1A-CHMP4B binding construct, which includes a short linear sequence within the third DM14 domain of CC2D1A. The CC2D1A binding site on CHMP4B was mapped to the N-terminal helical hairpin. Based on a crystal structure of the CHMP4B helical hairpin, two surface patches were identified that interfere with CC2D1A interaction as determined by surface plasmon resonance. Introducing these mutations into a C-terminal truncation of CHMP4B that exerts a potent dominant negative effect on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 budding revealed that one of the mutants lost this effect completely. This suggests that the identified CC2D1A binding surface might be required for CHMP4B polymerization, which is consistent with the finding that CC2D1A binding to CHMP4B prevents CHMP4B polymerization in vitro. Thus, CC2D1A might act as a negative regulator of CHMP4B function.     

Heat shock-mediated misexpression of genes in the beetle Tribolium castaneum

Insect gene function has mainly been studied in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster because in this species many techniques and resources are available for gene knock down and the ectopic activation of gene function. However, in order to study biological aspects that are not represented by the Drosophila model, and in order to test to what degree gene functions are conserved within insects and what changes in gene function accompanied the evolution of novel traits, the establishment of respective tools in other insect species is required. While gene knock down can be induced by RNA interference in many insects, methods to misexpress genes are much less developed. In order to allow misexpression of genes in a timely controlled manner in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, we have established a heat shock-mediated misexpression system. We show that endogenous heat shock elements perform better than artificial heat shock elements derived from vertebrates. We carefully determine the optimal conditions for heat shock and define a core promoter for use in future constructs. Finally, using this system, we study the effects of misexpressing the head patterning gene Tc-orthodenticle1 (Tc-otd1), We show that Tc-otd1 suppresses Tc-wingless (Tc-wg) in the trunk and to some degree in the head.     

Analysis of centriole elimination during C. elegans oogenesis

Centrosomes are the principal microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) of animal cells and comprise a pair of centrioles surrounded by pericentriolar material (PCM). Centriole number must be carefully regulated, notably to ensure bipolar spindle formation and thus faithful chromosome segregation. In the germ line of most metazoan species, centrioles are maintained during spermatogenesis, but eliminated during oogenesis. Such differential behavior ensures that the appropriate number of centrioles is present in the newly fertilized zygote. Despite being a fundamental feature of sexual reproduction in metazoans, the mechanisms governing centriole elimination during oogenesis are poorly understood. Here, we investigate this question in C. elegans. Using antibodies directed against centriolar components and serial-section electron microscopy, we establish that centrioles are eliminated during the diplotene stage of the meiotic cell cycle. Moreover, we show that centriole elimination is delayed upon depletion of the helicase CGH-1. We also find that somatic cells make a minor contribution to this process, and demonstrate that the germ cell karyotype is important for timely centriole elimination. These findings set the stage for a mechanistic dissection of centriole elimination in a metazoan organism.     

Kidney pathology and parasite intensity in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss surviving proliferative kidney disease: time course and influence of temperature

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an endoparasitic disease of salmonids caused by the myxozoan parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae. We recently described the development of the disease from initial infection until manifestation of clinical disease signs in rainbow trout held at 2 water temperatures, 12 and 18°C. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether (1) infected fish surviving the clinical phase would recover from renal pathological changes, (2) whether they would be able to reduce the parasite load in the kidneys, and (3) whether water temperatures would influence renal recovery and parasite clearance. At 18°C, fish showed a gradual recovery of normal kidney morphology which was associated with a decline in parasite numbers and infection prevalence. Fish kept at 12°C initially showed an enhancement of kidney lesions before recovery of normal kidney morphology took place. The decrease in renal parasite load was retarded compared to 18°C. The results from the present study provide evidence that rainbow trout surviving the clinical phase of PKD are able to (1) fully restore renal structure, and (2) significantly reduce renal parasite loads, although 100% clearance was not achieved within the experimental period of this study. Water temperature influences the rate but not the outcome of the recovery process.     

Site Selection and Foraging in the Eresid Spider Stegodyphus tentoriicola

Habitat selection has profound consequences for survival and reproductive success. We investigated web relocation behaviour in relation to plant structure and body condition as well as the plasticity of foraging behaviour of the spider Stegodyphus tentoriicola. Spiders inhabiting thorny vegetation were larger, built larger webs than spiders in thornless plants and relocated their webs less frequently. Web relocation affected reproductive success through a delay of oviposition. Spiders supplemented with extra food improved body condition and built smaller webs than control spiders implying a crucial role of food in limiting fitness of S. tentoriicola. Reduced investment in webs suggests a trade-off between the benefit of more food against the cost of web-construction. We propose that S. tentoriicola exhibit a “silk and energy saving” strategy when saturated.     

Human areas V3A and V6 compensate for self-induced planar visual motion

Little is known about mechanisms mediating a stable perception of the world during pursuit eye movements. Here, we used fMRI to determine to what extent human motion-responsive areas integrate planar retinal motion with nonretinal eye movement signals in order to discard self-induced planar retinal motion and to respond to objective ("real") motion. In?contrast to other areas, V3A lacked responses to?self-induced planar retinal motion but responded strongly to head-centered motion, even when retinally canceled by pursuit. This indicates a near-complete multimodal integration of visual with nonvisual planar motion signals in V3A. V3A could be mapped selectively and robustly in every single subject on this basis. V6 also reported head-centered planar motion, even when 3D flow was added to it, but was suppressed by retinal planar motion. These findings suggest a dominant contribution of human areas V3A and V6 to head-centered motion perception and to perceptual stability during eye movements.     

pH‐dependent molecular dynamics of vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein G

Vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein G (VSV‐G) belongs to a new class of viral fusion proteins (Class III). The structure of VSV‐G has been solved in two different conformations and fusion is known to be triggered by low pH. To investigate Class III fusion mechanisms, molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the VSV‐G prefusion structure in two different protonation states: at physiological pH (pH 7) and low pH present in the endosome (pH 5). Domain IV containing the fusion loops, which need to interact with the target membrane, exhibits the highest mobility. Energetic analyses revealed weakened interaction between Domain IV and the protein core at pH 5, which can be attributed to two pairs of structurally neighboring conserved and differentially protonated residues in the Domain IV–core interface. Energetic calculations also demonstrated that the interaction between the subunits in the core of the trimeric VSV‐G is strengthened at pH 5, mainly due to newly formed interactions between the C‐terminal loop of Domain II and the N‐terminus of the adjacent subunit. A pair of interacting residues in this interface that is affected by differential protonation was shown to be the main effectors of this phenomenon. The results of this study thus enhance the mechanistic understanding of the effects of protonation changes in VSV‐G. Proteins 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.