Disease relevance of VP40

• Using biochemical assays, it has been demonstrated that expression of Ebola virus VP40 alone in mammalian cells induced production of particles with a density similar to that of virions [1].
• Recombinant baculoviruses (rBV) expressing Ebola virus VP40 (rBV-VP40) or GP (rBV-GP) proteins were generated [2].

High impact information on VP40

• Ebola virus VP40 drives the formation of virus-like filamentous particles along with GP [1].
• VP40 induced budding from the plasma membrane of filamentous particles, which differed in length but had uniform diameters of approximately 65 nm [1].
• These results demonstrated the central role of VP40 in formation of the filamentous structure of Ebola virions and may suggest an interaction between VP40 and GP in morphogenesis [1].
• Effect of Ebola virus proteins GP, NP and VP35 on VP40 VLP morphology [3].
• Overall, these findings indicate that major changes in morphology of VP40 VLPs were likely not responsible for enhanced budding of VP40 VLPs in the presence of GP, NP and/or VP35 [3].

Anatomical context of VP40

• Ebola encoded NP and VP35 accumulated in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies whereas VP40 was mainly membrane associated but it was also present diffusely in the cytoplasm as well as in the euchromatic areas of the nucleus [4].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of VP40

• To determine the morphological properties of these particles, cells expressing VP40 and the particles released from the cells were examined by electron microscopy [1].

References