PNNL

Abstract

M156R, the product of the myxoma virus M156R open reading frame, is a protein of unknown function. However, several homologs of M156R from other viruses are immunomodulatory proteins that bind to interferon-induced protein kinase PKR and inhibit phosphorylation of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2a. In this study, we have determined the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of M156R, the first structure of a myxoma virus protein. The fold consists of a five-stranded antiparallel b-barrel with two of the strands connected by a long loop and a short a-helix. The similarity between M156R and the predicted S1 motif structure of eIF2a suggests that the viral homologs are pseudosubstrate inhibitors of PKR that mimic eIF2a in order to compete for binding to PKR. A homology modeled structure of the well studied vaccinia virus K3L was generated based on alignment with M156R. Residues important for binding to PKR are conserved residues on the surface of the b-barrel and in the mobile loop, identifying the putative PKR recognition motif.