Evidence that HIV-1 gag precursor shares antigenic sites with the major capsid protein of human cytomegalovirus

Wade Gibson, Lisa M. McNally, Raoul E. Benveniste, Jerrold M. Ward

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

A rabbit antiserum prepared against disrupted sucrose-banded HIV-1 virus (strain FRE-3) reacted with antigens present in nuclear inclusions, pathognomonic for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). This cross-reactivity was observed in autopsy specimens from individuals infected with CMV, in the presence or absence of co-infection with HIV-1. A Towbin immunoassay showed that the serum reacted specifically with the HCMV major capsid protein (MCP, 153 kDa), both in the nuclear fraction of infected cells and in virions. Direct evidence that these proteins share antigenic determinants was provided by the two-way cross-reactivity of affinity-selected antibodies (i.e., anti-MCP with HIV-1 gag precursor Pr55; anti-Pr55 with MCP). All four strains of HCMV tested showed this reactivity, but the counterpart proteins of simian CMV and herpes simplex virus type 1 did not, indicating that the determinant is not common to all herpes group viruses.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)595-599
Number of pages5
JournalVirology
Volume175
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1990

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Virology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Evidence that HIV-1 gag precursor shares antigenic sites with the major capsid protein of human cytomegalovirus'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this