The envelope of the Semliki Forest virus (SFV) contains two transmembrane proteins, E2 and E1, in a heterodimeric complex. The E2 subunit is initially synthesized as a precursor protein p62, which is proteolytically processed to the mature E2 form before virus budding at the plasma membrane. The p62 (E2) protein mediates binding of the heterodimer to the nucleocapsid during virus budding, where...

Pestiviruses, including bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), are important animal pathogens and close relatives of hepatitis C virus. Pestivirus particles are composed of an RNA genome, a host-derived lipid envelope, and four virion-encoded structural proteins, core (C), E(rns), E1, and E2. Core is a small, highly basic polypeptide that is processed by three enzymatic cleavages before its incorp...

The human papillomavirus (HPV) E2 protein is a multifunctional protein essential for the control of virus gene expression, genome replication and persistence. E2 is expressed throughout the differentiation-dependent virus life cycle and is functionally regulated by association with multiple viral and cellular proteins. Here, we show for the first time to our knowledge that HPV16 E2 directly ass...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major worldwide problem. Chronic hepatitis C is recognized as one of the major causes of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure. Although new, directly acting antiviral therapies are suggested to overcome the low efficacy and adverse effects observed for the current standard of treatment, an effective vaccine would be the only way to certai...

We have studied the effects of tunicamycin and inhibitors of the processing of N-linked glycans including N-methyl-1-deoxynojirimycin, castanospermine, mannodeoxynojirimycin, and swainsonine on the transport of glycoprotein E2 and the intracellular maturation of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus A59. Indirect immunofluorescence staining with monoclonal antibodies revealed that glycoprotein ...

Human and animal papillomavirus DNA replicates as multicopy nuclear plasmids. Replication requires two viral proteins, the origin-recognition protein E2 and the replicative DNA helicase E1. Using genetic, biochemical, and immunofluorescence assays, we demonstrated that efficient nuclear import of the human papillomavirus (HPV) type 11 E1 protein depends on a codominant bipartite nuclear localiz...

We examined a variety of strains of Sindbis virus for the genetic changes responsible for differences in neurovirulence in mice. SV1A (a low passage of the AR339 strain of Sindbis virus), a neuroadapted Sindbis virus (NSV), and two laboratory strains of Sindbis virus (HRSP and Toto1101) were examined. NSV causes severe encephalomyelitis with hind-limb paralysis and high mortality after intracer...

Envelope glycoprotein 2 (E2) of hepatitis C virus contains 18 conserved cysteine (Cys) residues in its ectodomain. By cysteine-alanine mutagenesis and function analysis, six Cys in H77 E2 (C494, C508, C552, C564, C607 and C644) were found to be indispensable for recognition by conformation-dependent mAb H53. Removal of any of these Cys residues did not affect E2 heterodimerization with E1, but ...