The synthesis of glycoproteins in human melanoma cells infected with varicella-zoster virus

Abstract

The synthesis of glycoproteins has been investigated in cultured human melanoma cells before and after infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The glycosylated polypeptides were labeled with tritiated precursors of the sugar moiety and were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When the electrophoretic profiles of uninfected and infected cell lysates were compared, a marked reduction in host cell glycoprotein synthesis was evident during the late phase of viral infection. In addition, at least three infected-cell specific (ICS) glycosylated polypeptides were detected. After immune precipitation of [3H]glucosamine-labeled VZV cell extracts with human and rabbit VZV antisera, a total of five ICS glycoproteins were identified and designated gp 45, gp 62, gp 88, gp 98, and gp 118, according to their apparent molecular weights (× 103). Four of the five polypeptides (but not gp 88) were visualized after immune precipitation of infected cell extracts labeled with [3H]fucose. The ICS glycopeptides corresponded in molecular weight to [35S]methionine-labeled polypeptides detected in a virus-enriched fraction obtained by centrifugation of sonically disrupted infected cells in a combination density-viscosity gradient. A prominent ICS high-molecular weight (∼150,000) nonglycosylated polypeptide was identified also in the latter fraction. © 1980.