Accelerated induction of apoptosis in insect cells by baculovirus-expressed SARS-CoV membrane protein

作者：Lai Chia Wei; Chan Zun Ren; Yang Ding Gang; Lo Wen Hsin; Lai Yiu Kay; Chang Margaret Dah Tsyr; Hu Yu Chen^*

来源：FEBS Letters, 2006, 580(16): 3829-3834.

DOI：10.1016/j.febslet.2006.06.003

• apoptosis
• baculovirus
• insect cell
• membrane protein
• SARS-CoV

It has been shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) 3a and 7a proteins, but not membrane (M) protein, induce apoptosis in mammalian cells. Upon expression of SARS-CoV M protein using the baculovirus/insect cell expression system, however, we found that the expressed M protein triggered accelerated apoptosis in insect cells, as characterized by rapid cell death, elevated cytotoxicity, cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation. Conversely, the M protein expressed in mammalian cells did not induce apoptosis. This is the first report describing the induction of apoptosis by SARS-CoV M protein in animal cells and possible implications are discussed.

• 出版日期2006-7-10
• 单位清华大学