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Journal of Virology, October 2008, p. 10308-10311, Vol. 82, No. 20
0022-538X/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.01204-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Fusion of Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein to the Pseudorabies Virus Axonal Sorting Protein Us9 Blocks Anterograde Spread of Infection in Mammalian Neurons

M. G. Lyman, D. Curanovic, A. D. Brideau, and L. W. Enquist^*

Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544

Received 10 June 2008/ Accepted 29 July 2008

Pseudorabies virus encodes a membrane protein (Us9) that is essential for the axonal sorting of virus particles within neurons and anterograde spread in the mammalian nervous system. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Us9 mimicked the trafficking properties of the wild-type protein in nonneuronal cells. We constructed a pseudorabies virus strain that expressed Us9-GFP and tested its spread capabilities in the rat visual system and in primary neuronal cultures. We report that Us9-EGFP does not promote anterograde spread of infection and may disrupt packing of viral membrane proteins in lipid rafts, an essential step for Us9-mediated axonal sorting.

Published ahead of print on 6 August 2008.

Present address: Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Tustin, CA 92780.