Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication

ABSTRACT Betacoronaviruses, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), are important pathogens causing potentially lethal infections in humans and animals. Coronavirus RNA synthesis is thought to be associated with replication organelles (ROs) consisting of modified endoplasmic...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Diede Oudshoorn, Kevin Rijs, Ronald W. A. L. Limpens, Kevin Groen, Abraham J. Koster, Eric J. Snijder, Marjolein Kikkert, Montserrat Bárcena
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: American Society for Microbiology 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/a3a7cf2cc99549698cbfbe0f6767b044
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
id oai:doaj.org-article:a3a7cf2cc99549698cbfbe0f6767b044
record_format dspace
spelling oai:doaj.org-article:a3a7cf2cc99549698cbfbe0f6767b0442021-11-15T15:51:55ZExpression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication10.1128/mBio.01658-172150-7511https://doaj.org/article/a3a7cf2cc99549698cbfbe0f6767b0442017-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.01658-17https://doaj.org/toc/2150-7511ABSTRACT Betacoronaviruses, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), are important pathogens causing potentially lethal infections in humans and animals. Coronavirus RNA synthesis is thought to be associated with replication organelles (ROs) consisting of modified endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes. These are transformed into double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) containing viral double-stranded RNA and into other membranous elements such as convoluted membranes, together forming a reticulovesicular network. Previous evidence suggested that the nonstructural proteins (nsp’s) 3, 4, and 6 of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which contain transmembrane domains, would all be required for DMV formation. We have now expressed MERS-CoV replicase self-cleaving polyprotein fragments encompassing nsp3-4 or nsp3-6, as well as coexpressed nsp3 and nsp4 of either MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV, to characterize the membrane structures induced. Using electron tomography, we demonstrate that for both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV coexpression of nsp3 and nsp4 is required and sufficient to induce DMVs. Coexpression of MERS-CoV nsp3 and nsp4 either as individual proteins or as a self-cleaving nsp3-4 precursor resulted in very similar DMVs, and in both setups we observed proliferation of zippered ER that appeared to wrap into nascent DMVs. Moreover, when inactivating nsp3-4 polyprotein cleavage by mutagenesis, we established that cleavage of the nsp3/nsp4 junction is essential for MERS-CoV DMV formation. Addition of the third MERS-CoV transmembrane protein, nsp6, did not noticeably affect DMV formation. These findings provide important insight into the biogenesis of coronavirus DMVs, establish strong similarities with other nidoviruses (specifically, the arteriviruses), and highlight possible general principles in viral DMV formation. IMPORTANCE The RNA replication of positive stranded RNA viruses of eukaryotes is thought to take place at cytoplasmic membranous replication organelles (ROs). Double-membrane vesicles are a prominent type of viral ROs. They are induced by coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, as well as by a number of other important pathogens, yet little is known about their biogenesis. In this study, we explored the viral protein requirements for the formation of MERS-CoV- and SARS-CoV-induced DMVs and established that coexpression of two of the three transmembrane subunits of the coronavirus replicase polyprotein, nonstructural proteins (nsp’s) 3 and 4, is required and sufficient to induce DMV formation. Moreover, release of nsp3 and nsp4 from the polyprotein by proteolytic maturation is essential for this process. These findings provide a strong basis for further research on the biogenesis and functionality of coronavirus ROs and may point to more general principles of viral DMV formation.Diede OudshoornKevin RijsRonald W. A. L. LimpensKevin GroenAbraham J. KosterEric J. SnijderMarjolein KikkertMontserrat BárcenaAmerican Society for Microbiologyarticleconvoluted membraneselectron tomographymembrane structurenidovirusesnonstructural proteinsreplication complexMicrobiologyQR1-502ENmBio, Vol 8, Iss 6 (2017)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic convoluted membranes
electron tomography
membrane structure
nidoviruses
nonstructural proteins
replication complex
Microbiology
QR1-502
spellingShingle convoluted membranes
electron tomography
membrane structure
nidoviruses
nonstructural proteins
replication complex
Microbiology
QR1-502
Diede Oudshoorn
Kevin Rijs
Ronald W. A. L. Limpens
Kevin Groen
Abraham J. Koster
Eric J. Snijder
Marjolein Kikkert
Montserrat Bárcena
Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication
description ABSTRACT Betacoronaviruses, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), are important pathogens causing potentially lethal infections in humans and animals. Coronavirus RNA synthesis is thought to be associated with replication organelles (ROs) consisting of modified endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes. These are transformed into double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) containing viral double-stranded RNA and into other membranous elements such as convoluted membranes, together forming a reticulovesicular network. Previous evidence suggested that the nonstructural proteins (nsp’s) 3, 4, and 6 of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which contain transmembrane domains, would all be required for DMV formation. We have now expressed MERS-CoV replicase self-cleaving polyprotein fragments encompassing nsp3-4 or nsp3-6, as well as coexpressed nsp3 and nsp4 of either MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV, to characterize the membrane structures induced. Using electron tomography, we demonstrate that for both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV coexpression of nsp3 and nsp4 is required and sufficient to induce DMVs. Coexpression of MERS-CoV nsp3 and nsp4 either as individual proteins or as a self-cleaving nsp3-4 precursor resulted in very similar DMVs, and in both setups we observed proliferation of zippered ER that appeared to wrap into nascent DMVs. Moreover, when inactivating nsp3-4 polyprotein cleavage by mutagenesis, we established that cleavage of the nsp3/nsp4 junction is essential for MERS-CoV DMV formation. Addition of the third MERS-CoV transmembrane protein, nsp6, did not noticeably affect DMV formation. These findings provide important insight into the biogenesis of coronavirus DMVs, establish strong similarities with other nidoviruses (specifically, the arteriviruses), and highlight possible general principles in viral DMV formation. IMPORTANCE The RNA replication of positive stranded RNA viruses of eukaryotes is thought to take place at cytoplasmic membranous replication organelles (ROs). Double-membrane vesicles are a prominent type of viral ROs. They are induced by coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, as well as by a number of other important pathogens, yet little is known about their biogenesis. In this study, we explored the viral protein requirements for the formation of MERS-CoV- and SARS-CoV-induced DMVs and established that coexpression of two of the three transmembrane subunits of the coronavirus replicase polyprotein, nonstructural proteins (nsp’s) 3 and 4, is required and sufficient to induce DMV formation. Moreover, release of nsp3 and nsp4 from the polyprotein by proteolytic maturation is essential for this process. These findings provide a strong basis for further research on the biogenesis and functionality of coronavirus ROs and may point to more general principles of viral DMV formation.
format article
author Diede Oudshoorn
Kevin Rijs
Ronald W. A. L. Limpens
Kevin Groen
Abraham J. Koster
Eric J. Snijder
Marjolein Kikkert
Montserrat Bárcena
author_facet Diede Oudshoorn
Kevin Rijs
Ronald W. A. L. Limpens
Kevin Groen
Abraham J. Koster
Eric J. Snijder
Marjolein Kikkert
Montserrat Bárcena
author_sort Diede Oudshoorn
title Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication
title_short Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication
title_full Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication
title_fullStr Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication
title_full_unstemmed Expression and Cleavage of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp3-4 Polyprotein Induce the Formation of Double-Membrane Vesicles That Mimic Those Associated with Coronaviral RNA Replication
title_sort expression and cleavage of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus nsp3-4 polyprotein induce the formation of double-membrane vesicles that mimic those associated with coronaviral rna replication
publisher American Society for Microbiology
publishDate 2017
url https://doaj.org/article/a3a7cf2cc99549698cbfbe0f6767b044
work_keys_str_mv AT diedeoudshoorn expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT kevinrijs expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT ronaldwallimpens expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT kevingroen expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT abrahamjkoster expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT ericjsnijder expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT marjoleinkikkert expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
AT montserratbarcena expressionandcleavageofmiddleeastrespiratorysyndromecoronavirusnsp34polyproteininducetheformationofdoublemembranevesiclesthatmimicthoseassociatedwithcoronaviralrnareplication
_version_ 1718427357336829952