Open AccessMutations in the Membrane-Proximal Region of the Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Cytoplasmic Tail Have Modest Effects on Virus Replication
Author(s) -
Shaun Stewart,
Andrew Pekosz
Publication year - 2011
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.05970-11
Subject(s) - biology , virus , viral replication , alanine scanning , influenza a virus , mutagenesis , virology , orthomyxoviridae , cytoplasm , mutation , recombinant virus , recombinant dna , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene
Influenza A virus encodes M2, a proton channel that has been shown to be important during virus entry and assembly. In order to systematically investigate the role of the membrane-proximal residues in the M2 cytoplasmic tail in virus replication, we utilized scanning and directed alanine mutagenesis in combination with transcomplementation assays and recombinant viruses. The membrane-proximal residues 46 to 69 tolerated numerous mutations, with little, if any, effect on virus replication, suggesting that protein structure rather than individual amino acid identity in this region may be critical for M2 protein function.