Conserved eukaryotic fusogens can fuse viral envelopes to cells

Ori Avinoam, Karen Fridman, Clari Valansi, Inbal Abutbul, Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai, Ulrike E. Maurer, Amir Sapir, Dganit Danino, Kay Grünewald, Judith M. White, Benjamin Podbilewicz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans proteins AFF-1 and EFF-1 [C. elegans fusion family (CeFF) proteins] are essential for developmental cell-to-cell fusion and can merge insect cells. To study the structure and function of AFF-1, we constructed vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) displaying AFF-1 on the viral envelope, substituting the native fusogen VSV glycoprotein. Electron microscopy and tomography revealed that AFF-1 formed distinct supercomplexes resembling pentameric and hexameric "flowers" on pseudoviruses. Viruses carrying AFF-1 infected mammalian cells only when CeFFs were on the target cell surface. Furthermore, we identified fusion family (FF) proteins within and beyond nematodes, and divergent members from the human parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis and the chordate Branchiostoma floridae could also fuse mammalian cells. Thus, FF proteins are part of an ancient family of cellular fusogens that can promote fusion when expressed on a viral particle.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)589-592
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume332
Issue number6029
DOIs
StatePublished - 29 Apr 2011
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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