Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.

Vaccinia virus (VACV) protein N1 is an intracellular virulence factor and belongs to a family of VACV B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-like proteins whose members inhibit apoptosis or activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, such as interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) and nuclear factor...

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Main Authors: Carlos Maluquer de Motes, Samantha Cooray, Hongwei Ren, Gabriel M F Almeida, Kieran McGourty, Mohammad W Bahar, David I Stuart, Jonathan M Grimes, Stephen C Graham, Geoffrey L Smith
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-12-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002430&type=printable
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author Carlos Maluquer de Motes
Samantha Cooray
Hongwei Ren
Gabriel M F Almeida
Kieran McGourty
Mohammad W Bahar
David I Stuart
Jonathan M Grimes
Stephen C Graham
Geoffrey L Smith
author_facet Carlos Maluquer de Motes
Samantha Cooray
Hongwei Ren
Gabriel M F Almeida
Kieran McGourty
Mohammad W Bahar
David I Stuart
Jonathan M Grimes
Stephen C Graham
Geoffrey L Smith
author_sort Carlos Maluquer de Motes
collection DOAJ
description Vaccinia virus (VACV) protein N1 is an intracellular virulence factor and belongs to a family of VACV B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-like proteins whose members inhibit apoptosis or activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, such as interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Unusually, N1 inhibits both apoptosis and NF-κB activation. To understand how N1 exerts these different functions, we have mutated residues in the Bcl-2-like surface groove and at the interface used to form N1 homodimers. Mutagenesis of the surface groove abolished only the N1 anti-apoptotic activity and protein crystallography showed these mutants differed from wild-type N1 only at the site of mutation. Conversely, mutagenesis of the dimer interface converted N1 to a monomer and affected only inhibition of NF-κB activation. Collectively, these data show that N1 inhibits pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic signalling using independent surfaces of the protein. To determine the relative contribution of each activity to virus virulence, mutant N1 alleles were introduced into a VACV strain lacking N1 and the virulence of these viruses was analysed after intradermal and intranasal inoculation in mice. In both models, VACV containing a mutant N1 unable to inhibit apoptosis had similar virulence to wild-type virus, whereas VACV containing a mutant N1 impaired for NF-κB inhibition induced an attenuated infection similar to that of the N1-deleted virus. This indicates that anti-apoptotic activity of N1 does not drive virulence in these in vivo models, and highlights the importance of pro-inflammatory signalling in the immune response against viral infections.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 1553-7366
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publishDate 2011-12-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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spelling doaj-art-fa70d7ce667e4cd4885cdf64806492062025-08-20T03:46:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742011-12-01712e100243010.1371/journal.ppat.1002430Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.Carlos Maluquer de MotesSamantha CoorayHongwei RenGabriel M F AlmeidaKieran McGourtyMohammad W BaharDavid I StuartJonathan M GrimesStephen C GrahamGeoffrey L SmithVaccinia virus (VACV) protein N1 is an intracellular virulence factor and belongs to a family of VACV B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-like proteins whose members inhibit apoptosis or activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, such as interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Unusually, N1 inhibits both apoptosis and NF-κB activation. To understand how N1 exerts these different functions, we have mutated residues in the Bcl-2-like surface groove and at the interface used to form N1 homodimers. Mutagenesis of the surface groove abolished only the N1 anti-apoptotic activity and protein crystallography showed these mutants differed from wild-type N1 only at the site of mutation. Conversely, mutagenesis of the dimer interface converted N1 to a monomer and affected only inhibition of NF-κB activation. Collectively, these data show that N1 inhibits pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic signalling using independent surfaces of the protein. To determine the relative contribution of each activity to virus virulence, mutant N1 alleles were introduced into a VACV strain lacking N1 and the virulence of these viruses was analysed after intradermal and intranasal inoculation in mice. In both models, VACV containing a mutant N1 unable to inhibit apoptosis had similar virulence to wild-type virus, whereas VACV containing a mutant N1 impaired for NF-κB inhibition induced an attenuated infection similar to that of the N1-deleted virus. This indicates that anti-apoptotic activity of N1 does not drive virulence in these in vivo models, and highlights the importance of pro-inflammatory signalling in the immune response against viral infections.https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002430&type=printable
spellingShingle Carlos Maluquer de Motes
Samantha Cooray
Hongwei Ren
Gabriel M F Almeida
Kieran McGourty
Mohammad W Bahar
David I Stuart
Jonathan M Grimes
Stephen C Graham
Geoffrey L Smith
Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.
PLoS Pathogens
title Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.
title_full Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.
title_fullStr Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.
title_full_unstemmed Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.
title_short Inhibition of apoptosis and NF-κB activation by vaccinia protein N1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence.
title_sort inhibition of apoptosis and nf κb activation by vaccinia protein n1 occur via distinct binding surfaces and make different contributions to virulence
url https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002430&type=printable
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