Similarities in the induction of post-Golgi vesicles by the vaccinia virus F13L protein and phospholipase D

Intracellular mature vaccinia virions are wrapped by cisternae, derived from virus-modified trans-Golgi or endosomal membranes, and then transported via microtubules to the cell periphery. Two viral proteins, encoded by the F13L and B5R open reading frames, are essential for the membrane-wrapping step. Previous transfection studies indicated that F13L induces the formation of post-Golgi vesicles that incorporate the B5R protein and that this activity depends on an intact F13L phospholipase motif. Here we show that the F13L protein has a general effect on the trafficking of integral membrane proteins from the Golgi apparatus, as both the vaccinia virus A36R protein and the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein also colocalized with the F13L protein in vesicles. In addition, increased expression of cellular phospholipase D, which has a similar phospholipase motif as, but little amino acid sequence identity with, F13L, induced post-Golgi vesicles that contained B5R and A36R proteins. Butanol-1, which prevents the formation of phosphatidic acid by phospholipase D and specifically inhibits phospholipase D-mediated vesicle formation, also inhibited F13L-induced vesicle formation, whereas secondary and tertiary alcohols had no effect. Moreover, inhibition of phospholipase activity by butanol-1 also reduced plaque size and decreased the formation of extracellular vaccinia virus without affecting the yield of intracellular mature virus. Phospholipase D, however, could not complement a vaccinia virus F13L deletion mutant, indicating that F13L has additional virus-specific properties. Taken together, these data support an important role for F13L in inducing the formation of vesicle precursors of the vaccinia virus membrane via phospholipase activity or activation.