Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-30-2000

Abstract

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the only known human member of the Rhadinovirus genus of the gammaherpesvirus subfamily. Antibodies against peptides representing portions of the amino-and carboxyl-termini of HHV-8 gB were produced and used to detect gB expression in Vero cells transfected with the gB gene, in the HHV- 8-harboring cell line, BCBL-1, and in purified virions. Expression of gB was detected in approximately 3% of uninduced BCBL-1 cells, while up to 30% of the cells expressed gB after 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induction of virus replication. Indirect immunofluorescence assays and confocal microscopy showed that gB was distributed throughout the cytoplasm of BCBL-1 cells and transfected Vero cells. Immunoblot analyses of virion preparations revealed the presence of full-length as well as two smaller than full-length gB-derived species corresponding to the amino- and carboxy- terminal portions of gB, respectively. Biochemical analysis of the gB carbohydrate moieties using glycosylation inhibitors revealed that gB contained N-linked oligosacharides of the high-mannose type, characteristic of precursor carbohydrate chains added in the endoplasmic reticulum. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Virology

First Page

18

Last Page

25

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