Viral Bcl2s’ transmembrane domain interact with host Bcl2 proteins to control cellular apoptosis

Maria Jesús García-Murria, Gerard Duart, Brayan Grau, Elisabet Diaz-Beneitez, Dolores Rodríguez, Ismael Mingarro and Luis Martínez-Gil ()
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Maria Jesús García-Murria: Universitat de València
Gerard Duart: Universitat de València
Brayan Grau: Universitat de València
Elisabet Diaz-Beneitez: Campus Universidad Autónoma
Dolores Rodríguez: Campus Universidad Autónoma
Ismael Mingarro: Universitat de València
Luis Martínez-Gil: Universitat de València

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Viral control of programmed cell death relies in part on the expression of viral analogs of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) protein known as viral Bcl2s (vBcl2s). vBcl2s control apoptosis by interacting with host pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl2 family. Here, we show that the carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic region of herpesviral and poxviral vBcl2s can operate as transmembrane domains (TMDs) and participate in their homo-oligomerization. Additionally, we show that the viral TMDs mediate interactions with cellular pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl2 TMDs within the membrane. Furthermore, these intra-membrane interactions among viral and cellular proteins are necessary to control cell death upon an apoptotic stimulus. Therefore, their inhibition represents a new potential therapy against viral infections, which are characterized by short- and long-term deregulation of programmed cell death.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-19881-9

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19881-9

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