Biology subjects

Ryckman, B. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Ryckman, B. J..

7 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Interstrain Recombinants of Human Cytomegalovirus Reveals Complex Genetic Correlates and Epistasis Influencing Glycoprotein Display, Virion Infectivity and Spread Characteristics.

Most of the nucleotide diversity in the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genome is due to approximately 17 genes with 2-14 alleles each. These allelic genes are interspersed among longer stretches of highly conserved sequences with signatures of extensive recombination that would shuffle the allelic genes into a vast number of allelic haplotypes. Bacterial artificial chromosome clones derived from 3 independent clinical isolates (TB40/e (TB), TR and Merlin (ME)) display dramatic differences in the abundance of entry-mediating glycoproteins gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131, virion infectivity and efficiency of cell-free and cell-to-cell modes of spread. Of these, TB and ME are the most phenotypically different and share only 2 of the 17 allelic genes. A set of recombinant HCMV was generated by coinfecting cells with TB and ME and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses demonstrated complex crossover patterns. Most recombinants were either "TB-like" with much more gH/gL/gO than gH/gL/UL128-131, or "ME-like" with much more gH/gL/UL128-131. This correlated with a TB or ME UL128 sequence, consistent with a G/T polymorphism affecting UL128 pre-mRNA splicing. One recombinant had a gH/gL/gO:gH/gL/UL128-131 ratio of 0.8, suggesting genetic determinants beyond UL128. Virion infectivity correlated with TB versus ME-like glycoprotein display, but intragroup variability indicated additional factors and variability in spread efficiency and the contribution of cell-free and cell-to-cell spread modes indicated an influence of characteristics beyond virion infectivity. Results suggest that the relationships among these three phenotypes are not strictly causal and that all three phenotypes are genetically complex and influenced by epistasis among polymorphic loci across the genome. IMPORTANCEThe emerging picture of the genetic diversity of HCMV in vivo prompts a reevaluation of how in vitro characterized viral phenotypes, such as the abundance of the various glycoproteins displayed on the virion envelope and tendency towards cell-free or direct cell-to-cell spread, reflect viral characteristics in vivo. A small sampling of the in vivo genetic diversity of HCMV has been examined in the laboratory and the genetic correlates of in vitro phenotypes are unclear. Engineered mutations can yield different phenotypic effects when introduced on to different genetic backgrounds, suggesting complex epistasis among polymorphic loci across the genome. By generating a set of recombinants derived from two phenotypically and genotypically distinct parental clones, this work offers an approach to characterize complex genetic correlates of viral phenotypes, which in turn may enhance efforts to link genomics data with in vivo viral behavior and clinical outcomes.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Apparent cooperativity between human CMV virions introduces errors in conventional methods of calculating multiplicity of infection

Whether infection of cells by individual virions occurs randomly or if there is some form(s) of competition or cooperativity between individual virions remains largely unknown for most virus-cell associations. Here we studied cooperativity/competition for three different strains of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) on two different cell types (fibroblasts and epithelial cells). By titrating viral inocula concentrations in small steps over several orders of magnitude, and by using flow cytometry to precisely measure frequency of infected cells, we found that for most virus-cell associations, the frequency of cell infection increases faster than linear with an increasing inoculum concentration, indicating cooperativity between individual infecting virions. Mathematical modeling suggests that this apparent cooperativity cannot be explained by heterogeneity in either the infectivity of the individual virions or the resistance of individual cells to infection, or by simple aggregation/clumping of viral particles. Stochastic simulations of two additional alternative models that allow for i) reduction in cell resistance to infection when exposed to multiple virions, or ii) compensation in infectivity of poorly infectious virions when coinfecting cells with more infectious virions, resulted in apparent viral cooperativity. Analysis of other published datasets suggests presence of apparent viral cooperativity for HIV and vaccinia virus, infecting CRFK or HeLa cells, respectively, but not for tobacco mosaic virus forming plaques on plant leaves. We thus 1) propose a methodology to rigorously evaluate apparent cooperativity of viruses infecting target cells, and 2) demonstrate that knowing the degree of virus cooperativity for any given virus-cell combination is important for an accurate quantification of multiplicity of infection (MOI). Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=110 SRC="FIGDIR/small/650360v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (14K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f4de20org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2342dcorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@fab722org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d43bd_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG Infection Unit per cell (IU/Cell) and specific infectivity (Genome/IU) of human cytomegalovirus depend on the infecting dose (Genome/Cell). The data are for HCMV-TB infecting fibroblasts.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Human cytomegalovirus gH/gL/gO binding to PDGFRα provides a regulatory signal activating the fusion protein gB that can be blocked by neutralizing antibodies.

Herpesviruses require membrane fusion for entry and spread, a process facilitated by the fusion glycoprotein B (gB) and the regulatory factor gH/gL. The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) gH/gL can be modified by the accessory protein gO, or the set of proteins UL128, UL130 and UL131. While the binding of the gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131 complexes to cellular receptors including PDFGR and NRP2 has been well-characterized structurally, the specific role of receptor engagements by the gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131 in regulation of fusion has remained unclear. We describe a cell-cell fusion assay that can quantitatively measure fusion on a timescale of minutes and demonstrate that binding of gH/gL/gO to PDGFR dramatically enhances gB-mediated cell-cell fusion. In contrast, gH/gL/pUL128-131-regulated fusion is significantly slower and gH/gL alone cannot promote gB fusion activity within this timescale. The genetic diversity of gO influenced the observed cell-cell fusion rates, correlating with previously reported effects on HCMV infectivity. Mutations in gL that had no effect on formation of gH/gL/gO or binding to PDGFR dramatically reduced the cell-cell fusion rate, suggesting that gL plays a critical role in linking the gH/gL/gO-PDGFR receptor-binding to activation of gB. Several neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies were found to potently block gH/gL/gO-PDGFR regulated cell-cell fusion, suggesting this mechanism as a therapeutic target. SIGNIFICANCEDevelopment of vaccines and therapeutics targeting the fusion apparatus of HCMV has been limited by the lack an in vitro cell-cell fusion assay that faithfully models the receptor-dependent fusion characteristic of HCMV entry. The cell-cell fusion assay described here demonstrated that the binding of gH/gL/gO to its receptor, PDGFR serves to regulate the activity of the fusion protein gB. Moreover, this regulatory mechanism is specifically vulnerable to inhibition by neutralizing antibodies. The cell-cell fusion assay described here provides a new tool to characterize neutralizing mAbs as therapeutic agents.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Mutagenesis of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein L disproportionately disrupts gH/gL/gO over gH/gL/pUL128-131.

Cell-free and cell-to-cell spread of herpesviruses involves a core fusion apparatus comprised of the fusion protein glycoprotein B (gB) and the regulatory factor gH/gL. The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/pUL128-131 facilitate spread in different cell types. The gO and pUL128-131 components bind distinct receptors, but the how the gH/gL portion of the complexes functionally compare is not understood. We previously characterized a panel of gL mutants by transient expression and showed that many were impaired for gH/gL-gB dependent cell-cell fusion, but were still able to form gH/gL/pUL128-131 and induce receptor-interference. Here, the gL mutants were engineered into the HCMV BAC clones TB40/e-BAC4 (TB), TR and Merlin (ME), which differ in their utilization of the two complexes for entry and spread. Several of the gL mutations disproportionately impacted gH/gL/gO-dependent entry and spread over gH/gL/pUL128-131 processes. Effects of some mutants could be explained by impaired gH/gL/gO assembly, but other mutants impacted gH/gL/gO function. Soluble gH/gL/gO containing the L201 mutant failed to block HCMV infection despite unimpaired binding to PDGFR, indicating the existence of other important gH/gL/gO receptors. Another mutant (L139) enhanced the gH/gL/gO-dependent cell-free spread of TR, suggesting a "hyperactive" gH/gL/gO. Recently published crystallography and cryo-EM studies suggest structural conservation of the gH/gL underlying gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/pUL128-131. However, our data suggest important differences in the gH/gL of the two complexes and support a model in which gH/gL/gO can provide an activation signal for gB. IMPORTANCEThe endemic beta-herpesvirus HCMV circulates in human populations as a complex mixture of genetically distinct variants, establishes lifelong persistent infections, and causes significant disease in neonates and immunocompromised adults. This study capitalizes on our recent characterizations of three genetically distinct HCMV BAC clones to discern the functions of the envelope glycoprotein complexes gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/pUL128-13, which are promising vaccine targets that share the herpesvirus core fusion apparatus component, gH/gL. Mutations in the shared gL subunit disproportionally affected gH/gL/gO, demonstrating mechanistic differences between the two complexes and may provide a basis for more refined evaluations of neutralizing antibodies.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

The human cytomegalovirus protein UL116 interacts with the viral ER resident glycoprotein UL148 and promotes the incorporation of gH/gL complexes into virions

Heterodimers of glycoproteins H (gH) and L (gL) comprise a basal element of the viral membrane fusion machinery conserved across herpesviruses. In human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a glycoprotein encoded by UL116 noncovalently assembles onto gH at a position similar to that occupied by gL, forming a heterodimer that is incorporated into virions. However, physiological roles for UL116 or its complex with gH remain to be identified. Here, we show that UL116 promotes the expression of gH/gL complexes and is required for the efficient production of infectious cell-free virions. UL116-null mutants show a 10-fold defect in production of infectious cell-free virions from infected fibroblasts and epithelial cells. This defect is accompanied by reduced expression of the two disulfide-linked gH/gL complexes that play crucial roles in viral entry: the heterotrimer of gH/gL with glycoprotein O (gO) and the pentameric complex of gH/gL with UL128, UL130, and UL131. Furthermore, gH/UL116 complexes comprise a substantial constituent of virions since an abundant gH species not covalently linked to other glycoproteins, which has long been observed in the literature, is readily detected from wild-type but not UL116-null virions. Interestingly, UL116 co-immunoprecipitates with UL148, a viral ER resident glycoprotein previously shown to attenuate ER-associated degradation (ERAD) of gO, and we observe elevated levels of UL116 in UL148-null virions. Collectively, our findings suggest that UL116 may serve as a chaperone for gH to support the assembly, maturation, and incorporation of gH/gL complexes into virions. IMPORTANCEHCMV is a betaherpesvirus that causes dangerous opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, as well as in the immune-naive fetus and preterm infants. The potential of the virus to enter new host cells is governed in large part by two alternative viral glycoprotein H (gH) / glycoprotein L (gL) complexes that play important roles in entry: gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131. A recently identified virion gH complex, comprised of gH bound to UL116, adds a new layer of complexity to the mechanisms that contribute to HCMV infectivity. Here, we show that UL116 promotes the expression of gH/gL complexes, and that UL116 interacts with the viral ER-resident glycoprotein UL148, a factor that supports the expression of gH/gL/gO. Overall, our results suggest that UL116 is a chaperone for gH. These findings have important implications for understanding of HCMV cell tropism as well as for the development of vaccines against the virus.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Naturally Occurring Polymorphisms in Human Cytomegalovirus gO Exert Epistatic Influences on Cell-Free and Cell-To-Cell Spread, and Antibody Neutralization on gH Epitopes.

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoproteins H and L (gH/gL) can be bound by either gO, or the UL128-131 proteins to form complexes that facilitate entry and spread and the complexes formed are important targets of neutralizing antibodies. Strains of HCMV vary considerably in the levels of gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131 and this can impact infectivity and cell tropism. In this report, we investigated how natural interstrain variation in the amino acid sequence of gO influences the biology of HCMV. Heterologous gO recombinants were constructed in which 6 of the 8 alleles or genotypes (GT) of gO were analyzed in the backgrounds of strain TR and Merlin (ME). The levels of gH/gL complexes were not affected, but there were impacts on entry, spread and neutralization by anti-gH antibodies. AD169 (AD) gO (GT1a) drastically reduced cell-free infectivity of both strains on fibroblasts and epithelial cells. PHgO(GT2a) increased cell-free infectivity of TR in both cell types, but spread in fibroblasts was impaired. In contrast, spread of ME in both cell types was enhanced by Towne (TN) gO (GT4), despite similar cell-free infectivity. TR expressing TNgO(GT4) was resistant to neutralization by anti-gH antibodies AP86 and 14-4b, whereas ADgO(GT1a) conferred resistance to 14-4b, but enhanced neutralization by AP86. Conversely, ME expressing ADgO(GT1a) was more resistant to 14-4b. These results suggest; 1) mechanistically distinct roles for gH/gL/gO in cell-free and cell-to-cell spread, 2) gO isoforms can differentially shield the virus from neutralizing antibodies, and 3) effects of gO polymorphisms are epistatically dependent on other variable loci. IMPORTANCEAdvances in HCMV population genetics have greatly outpaced understanding of the links between genetic diversity and phenotypic variation. Moreover, recombination between genotypes may shuffle variable loci into various combinations with unknown outcomes. UL74(gO) is an important determinant of HCMV infectivity, and one of the most diverse loci in the viral genome. By analyzing interstrain heterologous UL74(gO) recombinants, we show that gO diversity can have dramatic impacts on cell-free and cell-to-cell spread as well as on antibody neutralization and that the manifestation of these impacts can be subject to epistatic influences of the global genetic background. These results highlight the potential limitations of laboratory studies of HCMV biology that use single, isolated genotypes or strains.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2018

Expression levels of glycoprotein O (gO) vary between strains of human cytomegalovirus, influencing the assembly of gH/gL complexes and virion infectivity.

Tropism of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is influenced by the envelope glycoprotein complexes gH/gL/gO and gH/gL/UL128-131. During virion assembly, gO and the UL128-131 proteins compete for binding to gH/gL in the ER. This assembly process clearly differs among strains since Merlin (ME) virions contain abundant gH/gL/UL128-131 and little gH/gL/gO, whereas TR contains much higher levels of total gH/gL, mostly in the form of gH/gL/gO, but much less gH/gL/UL128-131 than ME. Remaining questions include 1) what are the mechanisms behind these assembly differences, and 2) do differences reflect in vitro culture adaptations or natural genetic variations? Since the UL74(gO) ORF differs by 25% of amino acids between TR and ME, we analyzed recombinant viruses in which the UL74(gO) ORF was swapped. TR virions were >40-fold more infectious than ME. Transcriptional repression of UL128-131 enhanced infectivity of ME to the level of TR, despite still far lower levels of gH/gL/gO. Swapping the UL74(gO) ORF had no effect on either TR or ME. A quantitative immunoprecipitation approach revealed that gH/gL expression was within 4-fold between TR and ME, but gO expression was 20-fold less by ME, and suggested differences in mRNA transcription, translation or rapid ER-associated degradation of gO. Trans-complementation of gO expression during ME replication gave 6-fold enhancement of infectivity beyond the 40-fold effect of UL128-131 repression alone. Overall, strain variations in assembly of gH/gL complexes result from differences in expression of gO and UL128-131, and selective advantages for reduced UL128-131 expression during fibroblast propagation are much stronger than for higher gO expression.\n\nIMPORTANCESpecific genetic differences between independently isolated HCMV strains may result from purifying selection on de novo mutations arising during propagation in culture, or random sampling among the diversity of genotypes present in clinical specimens. Results presented indicate that while reduced UL128-131 expression may confer a powerful selective advantage during cell-free propagation of HCMV in fibroblast cultures, selective pressures for increased gO expression are much weaker. Thus, variation in gO expression among independent strains may represent natural genotype variability present in vivo. This may have important implications for virus-host interactions such as immune recognition, and underscores the value of studying molecular mechanisms of replication using multiple HCMV strains.

microbiology↗