1. The conserved RNP motif of the herpes simplex virus 1 family B DNA polymerase is crucial for viral DNA synthesis but not polymerase activity.
- Author
-
Lawler JL, Terrell S, and Coen DM
- Subjects
- DNA, Viral genetics, DNA Polymerase I genetics, DNA Polymerase I metabolism, Virus Replication, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase genetics, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase chemistry, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase metabolism, DNA Replication, Herpesvirus 1, Human genetics, Herpesvirus 1, Human metabolism
- Abstract
The herpes simplex virus 1 DNA polymerase contains a highly conserved structural motif found in most family B polymerases and certain RNA-binding proteins. To investigate its importance within cells, we constructed a mutant virus with substitutions in two residues of the motif and a rescued derivative. The substitutions resulted in severe impairment of plaque formation, yields of infectious virus, and viral DNA synthesis while not meaningfully affecting expression of the mutant enzyme, its co-localization with the viral single-stranded DNA binding protein at intranuclear punctate sites in non-complementing cells or in replication compartments in complementing cells, or viral DNA polymerase activity. Taken together, our results indicate that the RNA binding motif plays a crucial role in herpes simplex virus 1 DNA synthesis through a mechanism separate from effects on polymerase activity, thus identifying a distinct essential function of this motif with implications for hypotheses regarding its biochemical functions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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