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Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 ORF28 encodes a non-essential virion glycoprotein

Jessica M. Boname

Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK

Correspondence
Philip G. Stevenson
pgs27{at}mole.bio.cam.ac.uk

Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) ORF28 is a gammaherpesvirus-specific gene of unknown function. Analysis of epitope-tagged ORF28 protein indicated that it was membrane-associated and incorporated into virions in N-glycosylated, O-glycosylated and unglycosylated forms. The extensive glycosylation of the small ORF28 extracellular domain – most forms of the protein appeared to be mainly carbohydrate by weight – suggested that a major function of ORF28 is to attach a variety of glycans to the virion surface. MHV-68 lacking ORF28 showed normal lytic replication in vitro and in vivo and normal latency establishment. MHV-68 ORF28 therefore encodes a small, membrane-bound and extensively glycosylated virion protein, whose function is entirely dispensable for normal, single-cycle host colonization.

Present address: Department of Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK.