Expression of the la crosse m segment proteins in a recombinant vaccinia expression system mediates ph-dependent cellular fusion

Abstract

To study the expression of La Crosse virus (LAC) glycaproteins, G1 and G2, we constructed a cDNA copy of the open reading frame (ORF) of the middle RNA segment and expressed it in a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV.ORF). Cells infected with W.ORF expressed G1 and G2 at the cell surface and formed syncytia with a pH profile similar to that of LAC. These experiments provide a system of studying the biological functions of the LAC glycoproteins, including processing, targeting, fusion, receptor binding, and antigenicity. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.