A multipotential β-1,6- N -acetylglucosaminyl-transferase is encoded by bovine herpesvirus type 4

The β-1,6-N -acetylglucosaminyltransferase (β1,6GnT) gene family encodes enzymes playing crucial roles in glycan synthesis. Important changes in β1,6GnT expression are observed during development, oncogenesis, and immunodeficiency. The most characterized β1,6GnTs in this gene family are the human (h) C2GnT-L and h-IGnT, which have core 2 [Galβ1→3(GlcNAcβ1→6)GalNAc] and I branching [GlcNAcβ1→3(GlcNAcβ1→6)Gal] activities, respectively. Recently, h-C2GnT-M was shown to be unique in forming core 2, core 4 [GlcNAcβ1→3(GlcNAcβ1→6)GalNAc], and I structures. To date, the β1,6GnT gene family has been characterized only in mammals. Here, we describe that bovine herpesvirus type 4 (BHV-4) encodes a β1,6GnT expressed during viral replication and exhibiting all of the core 2, core 4, and I branching activities. Sequencing of the BHV-4 genome revealed an ORF, hereafter called BORFF3–4, encoding a protein (pBORFF3–4) exhibiting 81.1%, 50.7%, and 36.6% amino acid identity with h-C2GnT-M, h-C2GnT-L, and h-IGnT, respectively. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis revealed that BORFF3–4 is expressed during BHV-4 replication. Expression of BORFF3–4 in Chinese hamster ovary cells directed the expression of core 2 branched oligosaccharides and I antigenic structures on the cell surface. Moreover, a soluble form of pBORFF3–4 had core 4 branching activity in addition to core 2 and I branching activities. Finally, infection of a C2GnT-negative cell line with BHV-4 induced expression of core 2 branched oligosaccharides. This study extends the β1,6GnT gene family to a viral gene and provides a model to study the biological functions of a β1,6GnT in the context of viral infection.