Molecular dissection of the assembly and morphogenesis processes of corona virus- the essential roles of the viral envelope protein.

• Main Author: Liu, Ding Xiang.
• Other Authors: Liu Ding Xiang
• Format: Research Report
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/6561
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

To promote viral entry, replication, release and spread to neighboring cells, many cytolytic animal viruses encode proteins responsible for modification of host cell membrane permeability and for formation of ion channels in host cell membranes during their life cycles. In this study, we show that the envelope (E) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) can induce membrane permeability changes when expressed in E. coli. E protein expressed in bacterial and mammalian cells under reducing conditions existed as monomers, but formed homodimer and homotrimer under non-reducing conditions. Site-directed mutagenesis studies revealed that two cysteine residues of the E protein were essential for oligomerization, leading to induction of membrane permeability. This is the first report demonstrating that a coronavirus-encoded protein could modify membrane permeability.