Vaccinia virus encodes a secretory polypeptide structurally related to complement control proteins
Abstract
Several polypeptides are secreted into the medium of cells infected with vaccinia virus, a cytoplasmic DNA virus belonging to the poxvirus family. One of these, a polypeptide of relative molecular mass 19,0001 is structurally related to epidermal growth factor2-4 and binds to epidermal growth factor receptor stimulating proliferation of uninfected cells in vitro6-7 and in vivo8. Here, we show that a second, and much more abundant secretory polypeptide, is also encoded by vaccinia virus and is structurally related to the superfamily of complement control proteins. Members of this family can block complement-mediated induction of the inflammatory response, and engulfment, killing and lysis of bacteria and viruses9,10.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- September 1988
- DOI:
- 10.1038/335176a0
- Bibcode:
- 1988Natur.335..176K