Viral Mimicry of Cdc2/Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 1 Mediates Disruption of Nuclear Lamina during Human Cytomegalovirus Nuclear Egress
2009

How a Virus Mimics a Host Enzyme to Escape the Nucleus

publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Hamirally Sofia, Kamil Jeremy P., Ndassa-Colday Yasmine M., Lin Alison J., Jahng Wan Jin, Baek Moon-Chang, Noton Sarah, Silva Laurie A., Simpson-Holley Martha, Knipe David M., Golan David E., Marto Jarrod A., Coen Donald M.

Primary Institution: Harvard Medical School

Hypothesis

UL97 phosphorylates lamin A/C to mediate nuclear egress during HCMV infection.

Conclusion

The study shows that UL97 directly phosphorylates lamin A/C, facilitating nuclear egress of HCMV.

Supporting Evidence

  • UL97 phosphorylates lamin A/C at Ser22, crucial for nuclear lamina disassembly.
  • Inhibition of UL97 reduces lamin A/C phosphorylation by approximately 50%.
  • Morphological changes in the nucleus during HCMV infection depend on UL97 activity.

Takeaway

The virus HCMV uses a special protein to poke holes in the cell's nuclear wall, helping it escape and spread.

Methodology

The study used mass spectrometry to analyze phosphorylation of lamin A/C in HCMV-infected cells.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.ppat.1000275

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