Investigation of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Matrix Protein: Uncoating and Assembly
type: CreativeWork
description: Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) is a simple, enveloped, nonsegmented negative-strand RNA virus and is the prototype rhabdovirus to study viral entry, transcription, replication, and assembly. The matrix protein (M) of VSV is a central component of the viral replication cycle. While being the smallest of the viral proteins it is multifunctional and is involved in uncoating, cytopathic effects (CPE), and assembly of the virus. M protein interactions involved in the uncoating and assembly of VSV have been examined in this dissertation. Uncoating of VSV involves dissociation of M from the ribonucleoprotein core (RNPs) of the virus. Current models of VSV uncoating propose that following membrane fusion M protein is released from the RNP with subsequent diffusion of M into the cytoplasm and distribution of some of the released M to the nucleus of a host cell. The studies in Chapter 2 investigated where in the endocytic pathway uncoating occurs, where M is located following uncoating, and the role of the cytoskeleton in distribution of input M by using a VSV, containing fluorescent M protein (rVSV-M-Lumio-Green). I found that uncoating occurs primarily in early endosomes and results in the majority of M remaining associated with the endosomal membrane which eventually localizes to the perinuclear recycling endosomes. A small fraction of M, which is presumably released into the cytosol, gets delivered to the nuclear envelope, and I found that the typical polymerized actin or microtubules within host cells were not required for distribution of M to the nuclear envelope. Uncoating and assembly of the VSV genome occurs on membranes within the cytoplasm of the host cell. Exactly how both of these processes can occur in the same environment (e.g. the cytoplasmically exposed membrane surface) without modification of M protein by phosphorylation, cleavage, or some other change has been an intriguing question in the field. In Chapter 3 I present results showing a pH effect on the …
abstract: Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) is a simple, enveloped, nonsegmented negative-strand RNA virus and is the prototype rhabdovirus to study viral entry, transcription, replication, and assembly. The matrix protein (M) of VSV is a central component of the viral replication cycle. While being the smallest of the viral proteins it is multifunctional and is involved in uncoating, cytopathic effects (CPE), and assembly of the virus. M protein interactions involved in the uncoating and assembly of VSV have been examined in this dissertation. Uncoating of VSV involves dissociation of M from the ribonucleoprotein core (RNPs) of the virus. Current models of VSV uncoating propose that following membrane fusion M protein is released from the RNP with subsequent diffusion of M into the cytoplasm and distribution of some of the released M to the nucleus of a host cell. The studies in Chapter 2 investigated where in the endocytic pathway uncoating occurs, where M is located following uncoating, and the role of the cytoskeleton in distribution of input M by using a VSV, containing fluorescent M protein (rVSV-M-Lumio-Green). I found that uncoating occurs primarily in early endosomes and results in the majority of M remaining associated with the endosomal membrane which eventually localizes to the perinuclear recycling endosomes. A small fraction of M, which is presumably released into the cytosol, gets delivered to the nuclear envelope, and I found that the typical polymerized actin or microtubules within host cells were not required for distribution of M to the nuclear envelope. Uncoating and assembly of the VSV genome occurs on membranes within the cytoplasm of the host cell. Exactly how both of these processes can occur in the same environment (e.g. the cytoplasmically exposed membrane surface) without modification of M protein by phosphorylation, cleavage, or some other change has been an intriguing question in the field. In Chapter 3 I present results showing a pH effect on the …
author: Mire, Chad E.
keywords: Vesicular Stomatitis Virus, VSV, matrix, M, uncoating, entry, trafficking, assembly, translation, LXD motif, Medicine and Health Sciences, Organisms, Viruses
date published: 2008-12-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:00:11Z
provider: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Tennessee Health Science Center