Human cytomegalovirus encodes a glycoprotein homologous to MHC class-I antigens (original) (raw)
- Letter
- Published: 21 January 1988
Nature volume 331, pages 269–272 (1988)Cite this article
- 445 Accesses
- 424 Citations
- 9 Altmetric
- Metrics details
Abstract
Primary infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is persistent and widespread, with symptoms that are mostly subclinical but can cause serious illness or death, particularly in immunosuppressed patients1,2. Recently3, proteins from HCMV were shown to bind β2-microglobulin (β2-m) a protein that is normally found associated with the class-I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, which are essential for self-non-self recognition in the immune response4. These findings led to the proposal that the virus may use β2-m binding as an infection mechanism5. Here we present evidence from DNA sequence analysis that HCMV encodes a molecule similar to the MHC class-I antigens of higher eucaryotes, and propose that this protein is responsible for the observed β2-m binding. The deduced amino-acid sequence of the HCMV class-I-like protein reveals conservation of typical features of class-I structure, but we predict that the gene is not spliced, in contrast to the cellular genes.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Additional access options:
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Roizman, B. The Herpesviruses Vol. 2 (Plenum, New York, 1983).
Book Google Scholar - Sissons, J. G. P. Borsiewicz, L. K., Rodgers, B. & Scott, D. Immun. Today 7, 57–61 (1986)
Article CAS Google Scholar - Grundy, J. E., McKeating J. A. & Griffiths P. D. J. gen. Virol. 68, 777–784,(1987).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Klein, J. Natural History of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (Wiley, New York, 1987).
Google Scholar - Grundy, J. E., McKeating, J. A., Ward, P. J., Sanderson, A. R. & Griffiths, P. D. J. gen. Virol. 68, 793–803,(1987).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Hood, L., Steinmetz, M. & Malissen, B. A. Rev. Immun. 1, 529–568 (1983).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Baer, R. et al. Nature 310, 207–211 (1984).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Bjorkman, P. J. et al. Nature 329, 506–518 (1987).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Pober, J. S., Guild, B. C. & Strominger, J. L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 6002–6006 (1978).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Guild, B. C., Erikson, R. L. & Strominger, J. L. Proc. natn. Sci. U.S.A 80, 2894–2898 (1983).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Hood, L. H., Kronenberg, M. & Hunkapiller, T. Cell 40, 225–229 (1985).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Klein, J. & Figueroa, F. Immun. Today 7, 41–44 (1986).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Helenius, A. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 3846–3850 (1978).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Signäs, C., Katze, M. G., Persson, H. & Philipson, L. Nature 299, 175–178 (1982).
Article ADS Google Scholar - McKeating, J. A., Griffiths, P. D. & Grundy, J. E. J. gen. Virol. 68, 785–792 (1987).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Oram, J. D. J. gen. Virol. 59, 111–129 (1982).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Sanger, F., Nicklen, S. & Coulson, A. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 5463–5467 (1977)
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Bankier, A. T. & Barrell, B. G. Techniques in the Life Sciences Vol. B5 (ed. Flavell, R. A.) 1–34 (Elsevier, Ireland, 1983).
Google Scholar - Staden, R. Nucleic Acid Res. 14, 217–231 (1986).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Claverie, J. M. & Bricault L. Proteins 1, 60–65 (1986).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Lipman, D. J. & Pearson, W. R. Science 227, 1435–1441 (1985).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar - Dayhoff, M. O., Barker, W. C. & Hunt, L. T. Meth. Enzym. 91, 524–545 (1983).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Cranage, M. P. et al. EMBO J. 5, 3057–3063 (1986).
Article CAS Google Scholar - Calabi, F. & Milstein, C. Nature 323, 540–543 (1986).
Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Medical Research Council, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK
Stephan Beck & Barclay G. Barrell
Authors
- Stephan Beck
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - Barclay G. Barrell
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beck, S., Barrell, B. Human cytomegalovirus encodes a glycoprotein homologous to MHC class-I antigens.Nature 331, 269–272 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/331269a0
- Received: 06 July 1987
- Accepted: 23 November 1987
- Issue Date: 21 January 1988
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/331269a0