Abstract. Sin Nombre virus (SNV), hosted by the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), is the primary etiologic agent of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in North America. To improve our understanding of the epidemiology of HPS in the western United States, we conducted studies of population dynamics and SNV antibody prevalence in deer mouse populations for 6 years on 12 mark-recapture grids in Montana. Monthly numbers of deer mice ranged from zero to over 170 on 1-hectare grids. SNV antibody prevalence was higher than observed in studies in other parts of the United States, averaging 13% (0% to 50%), and peaking in May or June each year. Antibody-positive mice were older (heavier) (78% of positives were adults versus 52% of negatives) and more likely to be males (61% of positives versus 53.4% of negatives). A higher proportion of antibody-positive deer mice of all age-mass classes had scars than did antibody-negative mice. Month-to-month survivorship of antibody-positive adult mice was similar to that of antibody-negative mice, but survival of young antibody-positive deer mice was lower than antibody-negative deer mice. This is the first study to clearly suggest a detrimental effect of SNV infection on deer mice.

Seven virus-specific, polyadenylated RNA species have been identified in mouse cells infected with the murine coronaviruses MHV-A59 (A59V) or MHV-JHM (JHMV). MHVinfected 17CL.l cells were labeled with [zrP]orthophosphate in the presence of actinomycin D and the eytoplasmic RNA was extracted and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. These RNA species range in size from 6.3 X 106 to 6.1 X lo6 daltons. The A59V and JHMV-specific RNAs have identical molecular weights and comigrate in agarose gels. The largest intracellular RNA species is identical to RNA isolated from purified virions, as determined by agarose gel electrophoresis and oligonucleotide fingerprint studies of ribonuclease T1 digests. Oligonucleotide fingerprints of the six subgenomic RNAs show that the sequences they contain are present in virion RNA, confirming their virus-specific nature. The fingerprinting studies also demonstrate that the six subgenomic RNA species make up a nested set. The sequences present in each RNA species are also present in all larger RNA species. These larger RNAs also contain additional sequences consistent with their greater size. The subgenomic RNAs fulfull many of the criteria for mRNAs. Possible mechanisms for generating these RNAs are discussed. 39

During assembly of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase, cytosolic p47-phox translocates to the plasma membrane and binds to flavocytochrome b, and binding domains for p47-phox have been identified on the C-terminal tails of both flavocytochrome b subunits. In the present report, we further examine the interaction of these two oxidase components by using random-sequence peptide phage display library analysis. Screening p47-phox with the peptide libraries identified five potential sites of interaction with flavocytochrome b, including three previously reported regions of interaction and two additional regions of interaction of p47-phox with gp91-phox and p22-phox. The additional sites were mapped to a domain on the first predicted cytosolic loop of gp9l-phox encompassing residues S8TRVRRQL93 and to a domain near the cytosolic C-terminal tail of gp91-phox encompassing residues F450EWFADLL457. The mapping also confirmed a previously reported binding domain on gp91-phox (E-5mSGPRGVHFIF564) and putative Src homology 3 domain binding sites on p22-phox (P156PRPP'60 and G177GPPGGP'83). To demonstrate that the additional regions identified were biologically significant, peptides mimicking the gp9l-phox sequences F77LRGSSACCSTRVRRQL93 and E451WFADLLQLLESQ40were synthesized and assayed for their ability to inhibit NADPH oxidase activity. These peptides had EC50 values of 1 ,LM and 230 ,uM, respectively, and inhibited activation when added prior to assembly but did not affect activity of the preassembled oxidase. Our data demonstrate the usefulness of phage display library analysis for the identification of biologically relevant sites of protein-protein interaction and show that the binding of p47-phox to flavocytochrome b involves multiple binding sites along the C-terminal tails of both gp91-and p22-phox and other regions of gp9l-phox nearer to the N terminus.

Cytochrome b of human neutrophils is the central component of the microbicidal NADPH-oxidase system. However, the folding topology of this integral membrane protein remains undetermined. Two random-sequence bacteriophage peptide libraries were used to map structural features of cytochrome b by determining the epitopes of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) 44.1 and 54.1, specific for the p22phox and gp91phox cytochrome b chains, respectively. The unique peptides of phage selected by mAb affinity purification were deduced from the phage DNA sequences. Phage selected by mAb 44.1 displayed the consensus peptide sequence GGPQVXPI, which is nearly identical to 181GGPQVNPI18 of p22phox. Phage selected by mAb 54.1 displayed the consensus sequence PKXAVDGP, which resembles 382PKIAVDGP389 of gp91phox. Western blotting demonstrated specific binding of each mAb to the respective cytochrome b subunit and selected phage peptides. In flow cytometric analysis, mAb 44.1 bound only permeabilized neutrophils, while 54.1 did not bind intact or permeabilized cells. However, mAb 54.1 immunosedimented detergent-solubilized cytochrome b in sucrose gradients. These results suggest the 181GGPQVNPI188 segment of p22phox is accessible on its intracellular surface, but the 382PKIAVDGP389 region on gp91phox is not accessible to antibody, and probably not on the protein surface.

Structural features of the integral membrane protein flavocytochrome b (Cyt b) were discovered using an antibody "imprint" of the Cyt b surface. Amino acid sequences were selected from a random nonapeptide phage-display library by their affinity for the monoclonal antibody 44.1 binding site, which recognizes the native conformation of the p22 phox subunit of Cyt b. Transferred nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy and rotating frame Overhauser effect spectroscopy NMR were used to study the antibody-bound conformation of a synthetic peptide derived from phage-displayed sequences. The NMR data supported the phagedisplay analysis suggesting the existence of a complex epitope and allowed the modeling of the close spatial proximity of the epitope components 29 TAGRF 33 and 183 PQVNPI 188 from discontinuous regions of p22 phox . Although these regions are separated by two putative membrane-spanning domains and are 150 residues apart in the sequence, they appear to combine to form a complex epitope on the cytosolic surface of the transmembrane protein. NMR constraints, measured from the antibody-bound conformation of a composite peptide mimetic of the Cyt b epitope, and one constraint inferred from the phage-display results, were used to demonstrate the close proximity of these two regions. This information provides a low resolution view of the tertiary structure of the native discontinuous epitope on the Cyt b surface. Given additional antibodies, such imprint analysis has the potential for producing structural constraints to help support molecular modeling of this and other low abundance or noncrystallizable proteins.Human phagocyte flavocytochrome b (Cyt b) 1 is an electron transferase that directs metabolic electrons across the plasma membrane to reduce molecular oxygen and form superoxide (O 2 . ). The production of superoxide by phagocytes, which involves modulation of Cyt b structure, is essential for antimicrobial host defense (1), plays a central role in inflammatory tissue injury (2), and may play a more general role in cellular regulation (3). Individuals with a defective Cyt b have insufficient superoxide production, suffer from chronic granulomatous disease (4), and sustain repeated life-threatening infections (5). Despite its cardinal role in many inflammatory processes and possibly in growth regulation, few experimental methods have been able to provide information on the structure of Cyt b. Therefore, we have developed an alternative method to describe topological features of the Cyt b surface. Because antibodies and their cognate antigens form complementary surfaces of interaction (6), we have sought structural information about Cyt b from an antibody binding site, specific for the Cyt b surface. We recently reported mapping of monoclonal antibody epitopes and functional sites of Cyt b, using random sequence phage-display peptide libraries (7;8). mAb 44.1 recognizes Cyt b in situ in permeabilized human neutrophils and thus contains information about the three-dimensional structure of the protein sur...