# VSV STRUCTURE, BUDDING, ENTRY USING MEMBRANE MUTANTS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF MED/DENT NJ-R W JOHNSON MED SCH · 1992 · $286,299

## Abstract

Vasicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a simple enveloped virus with
negative strand RNA genome. It is easily propagated in high yield in
tissue culture. Its 5 genes code for 5 proteins whose functions are
crudely understood. Temperature sensitive strains with mutations in each
gene have been characterized. These properties permit several aspects of
VSV infection to be studied at a detailed molecular level. The steps in
VSV uncoating that occur after fusion of the viral envelope with the
endosomal membrane, and lead to initiation of primary transcription will
be defined. Semi-intact cells will be used for this purpose, since the
cytoplasmic membrane surfaces are accessible in these cells. M protein-
membrane interactions will be studied using hydrophobic photolabeling
reagents, in order to identify the specific M protein sequence(s) that
interact with viral or cellular membranes during viral budding. The
kinetics of VSV assembly from pre-formed elements at the plasma membrane
will be determined, as well as any requirements for budding, such as host
cell (cytosolic) factors, ATP, transmembrane electrical potentials or
specific ion gradients. The transcriptional role of phosphorylation of
viral NS protein will be characterized by confirming our preliminary
finding that protein kinase activity can be essentially completely
separated from the transcriptional complex without loss of transcription
activity. The separated kinases will then be run backwards (using ADP as
substrate) to effect specific dephosphorylation of NS, which will be
correlated with transcriptional activity. The initiation reaction of VSV
transcription will be characterized using specific dinucleotide
inhibitors and primers, and the initiation site identified by affinity
labeling.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125354
- **Project number:** 5R01AI013002-17
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MED/DENT NJ-R W JOHNSON MED SCH
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN LENARD
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $286,299
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1976-09-01 → 1994-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125354

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125354, VSV STRUCTURE, BUDDING, ENTRY USING MEMBRANE MUTANTS (5R01AI013002-17). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125354. Licensed CC0.

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