Dataset Information

Cleavage of a Neuroinvasive Human Respiratory Virus Spike Glycoprotein by Proprotein Convertases Modulates Neurovirulence and Virus Spread within the Central Nervous System.

ABSTRACT: Human coronaviruses (HCoV) are respiratory pathogens that may be associated with the development of neurological diseases, in view of their neuroinvasive and neurotropic properties. The viral spike (S) glycoprotein is a major virulence factor for several coronavirus species, including the OC43 strain of HCoV (HCoV-OC43). In an attempt to study the role of this protein in virus spread within the central nervous system (CNS) and neurovirulence, as well as to identify amino acid residues important for such functions, we compared the sequence of the S gene found in the laboratory reference strain HCoV-OC43 ATCC VR-759 to S sequences of viruses detected in clinical isolates from the human respiratory tract. We identified one predominant mutation at amino acid 758 (from RRSR? G758 to RRSR?R758), which introduces a putative furin-like cleavage (?) site. Using a molecular cDNA infectious clone to generate a corresponding recombinant virus, we show for the first time that such point mutation in the HCoV-OC43 S glycoprotein creates a functional cleavage site between the S1 and S2 portions of the S protein. While the corresponding recombinant virus retained its neuroinvasive properties, this mutation led to decreased neurovirulence while potentially modifying the mode of virus spread, likely leading to a limited dissemination within the CNS. Taken together, these results are consistent with the adaptation of HCoV-OC43 to the CNS environment, resulting from the selection of quasi-species harboring mutations that lead to amino acid changes in viral genes, like the S gene in HCoV-OC43, which may contribute to a more efficient establishment of a less pathogenic but persistent CNS infection. This adaptative mechanism could potentially be associated with human encephalitis or other neurological degenerative pathologies.

SUBMITTER: Le Coupanec A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4636366 | biostudies-other | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Cleavage of a Neuroinvasive Human Respiratory Virus Spike Glycoprotein by Proprotein Convertases Modulates Neurovirulence and Virus Spread within the Central Nervous System.

Le Coupanec Alain A Desforges Marc M Meessen-Pinard Mathieu M Dubé Mathieu M Day Robert R Seidah Nabil G NG Talbot Pierre J PJ

PLoS pathogens 20151106 11

Human coronaviruses (HCoV) are respiratory pathogens that may be associated with the development of neurological diseases, in view of their neuroinvasive and neurotropic properties. The viral spike (S) glycoprotein is a major virulence factor for several coronavirus species, including the OC43 strain of HCoV (HCoV-OC43). In an attempt to study the role of this protein in virus spread within the central nervous system (CNS) and neurovirulence, as well as to identify amino acid residues important ...[more]

PMID: 26545254

Similar Datasets

Project description:Proprotein convertases (PCs), also known as eukaryotic subtilases, are a group of serine proteases comprising furin (PACE), PC1 (PC3), PC2, PC4, PACE4, PC5 (PC6), and PC7 (LPC, PC8) that generate bioactive proteins and peptides, such as hormones, receptors, and growth factors by cleaving precursor proteins at multibasic motifs. Two other family members, SKI-1/S1P and PCSK9, cleave regulator proteins involved in cholesterol and fatty acid homeostasis at nonbasic peptide bonds. Furin is ubiquitous in eukaryotic tissues and cells. PACE4, PC5, and PC7 are also widespread, whereas the expression of the other PCs is more restricted. PCs are synthesized as multi-segmented zymogens which are autocatalytically activated. The prodomains have regulatory and inhibitory functions. The catalytic domains are the most conserved domains among the PCs. The architecture of the catalytic active furin domain is known in different binding states. The C-terminal parts of the PCs differ in length and structure and contain encoded peptide signatures guiding the PCs to the subcellular destinations on the secretory pathways: SKI-1/S1P to the cis-Golgi, furin, PC5B, and PC7 to the TGN region but also to the plasma membrane. PACE4, PC5A, and PCSK9 are attached at the cell surface. Truncated, soluble furin and SKI-1/S1P, as well as PC1 and PC2, are released into the extracellular matrix. Many enveloped viruses are activated by furin and furin-like PCs and arenaviruses and a few bunyaviruses by SKI-1/S1P. The PCs cleave the viral fusion glycoprotein to trigger fusion of viral envelopes with cellular membranes to deliver the viral genome into host cells. Cleavage by PCs, occasionally in concert with other endoproteases, enables conformational changes in the viral membrane proteins needed for correct oligomerization of glycoprotein spikes and their effective incorporation into virions. Mutational alterations of PC cleavage sites can reduce the fusion potential of viral surface proteins and thus facilitate the development of secure live attenuated vaccines. Alternatively, agents preventing cleavage of viral surface (glyco)proteins block fusion capacity and multicyclic virus replications. PC inhibitors are suggested as promising antiviral drugs for quite a number of viruses causing severe infections.

Dataset Information

Cleavage of a Neuroinvasive Human Respiratory Virus Spike Glycoprotein by Proprotein Convertases Modulates Neurovirulence and Virus Spread within the Central Nervous System.

Publications

Cleavage of a Neuroinvasive Human Respiratory Virus Spike Glycoprotein by Proprotein Convertases Modulates Neurovirulence and Virus Spread within the Central Nervous System.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets