Open AccessOpen Reading Frame 2, Encoded by the Latency-Related Gene of Bovine Herpesvirus 1, Has Antiapoptotic Activity in Transiently Transfected Neuroblastoma Cells
Author(s) -
Wenwen Shen,
Clinton Jones
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.01289-08
Subject(s) - biology , open reading frame , transfection , frameshift mutation , microbiology and biotechnology , fusion protein , mutant , gene , gene expression , apoptosis , virology , exon , genetics , peptide sequence , recombinant dna
The latency-related (LR) RNA encoded by bovine herpesvirus 1 is abundantly expressed in the trigeminal ganglia of latently infected calves. Expression of LR proteins is necessary for reactivation from latency and the protection of infected neurons from apoptosis. In this study, we demonstrated that an LR-encoded protein, open reading frame 2 (ORF-2), or ORF-2 fusion proteins encoded by alternatively spliced LR transcripts inhibit cold shock or Fas ligand-induced apoptosis in mouse neuroblastoma (neuro-2A) cells. Frameshift mutants of ORF-2 do not inhibit apoptosis, which suggests that protein expression, not LR RNA expression, mediates the antiapoptotic activity of the LR gene in transfected neuro-2A cells.