Structural and functional studies of VP9, a novel nonstructural protein from white spot syndrome virus

White Spot Syndrome Virus is a major pathogen in shrimp aquaculture. VP9, a full length protein of WSSV, encoded by ORF WSV230, was identified for the first time, in the infected Penaeus monodon shrimp tissues, gill and stomach as a novel, nonstructural protein by western blot, mass spectrometry and immuno-electron microscopy. Real-time RT-PCR demonstrated that the transcription of VP9 started from the early to the late stage of WSSV infection as a major mRNA species. The structure of full length VP9 was determined by both X-ray and NMR techniques. VP9 adopts a similar fold as the DNA binding domain of the E2 protein from human papillomavirus. Based on our present investigations, we hypothesize that VP9 might be involved in the transcriptional regulation of WSSV, a function which is similar to the E2 protein during papillomavirus infection of the host cells.

Author dc:creator

• LIU YANG

• WSSV, VP9