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Temperature-sensitive mutants with lesions in the vaccinia virus F10 kinase undergo arrest at the earliest stage of virion morphogenesis

1995; American Society for Microbiology; Volume: 69; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1128/jvi.69.10.6581-6587.1995

1098-5514

Paula Traktman, Andrea Caligiuri, Sophy A. Jesty, K Liu, Uma Sankar,

Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Vaccinia virus encodes two protein kinases; the B1 kinase is expressed early and appears to play a role during DNA replication, whereas the F10 kinase is expressed late and is encapsidated in virions. Here we report that the F10 kinase gene is the locus affected in a complementation group of temperature-sensitive mutants composed of ts15, ts28, ts54, and ts61. Although these mutants have a biochemically normal phenotype at the nonpermissive temperature, directing the full program of viral gene expression, they fail to form mature virions. Electron microscopic analysis indicates that morphogenesis undergoes arrest at a very early stage, prior to the formation of membrane crescents or immature virions. An essential role for the F10 protein kinase in orchestrating the onset of virion assembly is implied.