Mutational analysis, using a full-length rubella virus cDNA clone, of rubella virus E1 transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains required for virus release

We report on the construction of a full-length cDNA clone, pBRM33, derived from wild-type rubella virus M33 strain. The RNA transcripts synthesized in vitro from pBRM33 are highly infectious, and the viruses produced retain the phenotypic characteristics of the parental M33 virus in growth rate and plaque size, This cDNA clone was used to study the role of E1 transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains in virus assembly by site-directed mutagenesis. Three different alanine substitutions were introduced in the transmembrane domain of El. These included substitution of leucine 464, cysteine 466, cysteine 467, and both cysteines 466 and 467 to alanine. In the El cytoplasmic domain, cysteine 470 and leucine 471 were altered to alanine. We found that these mutations did not significantly affect viral RNA replication, viral structural protein synthesis and transport, or E2/E1 heterodimer formation. Except for the substitution of cysteine 470, these mutations did, however, lead to a reduction in virus release. Substitution of cysteine 467 in the transmembrane region and of leucine 471 in the cytoplasmic domain dramatically reduced virus yield, resulting in the production of only 1 and 10% of the parental virus yield, respectively, in a parallel infection. These data show that El transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains play an important role in late stages of virus assembly, possibly during virus budding, consistent with earlier studies indicating that the El cytoplasmic domain may interact with nucleocapsids and that this interaction drives virus budding.