Effect of proteolytic processing at two distinct sites on shape and aggregation of an anchorless fusion protein of human respiratory syncytial virus and fate of the intervening segment.

We have examined the consequences of cleaving the fusion glycoprotein (F) of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) at two distinct furin-recognition sites. Purified anchorless F is a mixture of unaggregated cone-shaped molecules and rosettes of lollipop-shaped spikes. The unaggregated molecules contain a proportion of uncleaved F0 and an intermediate, F(delta1-109), cleaved only at site I, residues 106-109. Inhibition of cleavage at site I, by two amino acid changes (R108N/R109N), reduces the proportion of aggregated molecules with a concomitant increase in the amount of unprocessed F0. Inhibition of cleavage at site II, residues 131-136, by deletion of four amino acids (delta131-134), abrogates aggregation of anchorless F and all molecules are seen as individual cone-shaped rods. In vitro cleavage of anchorless F, or mutant delta131-134, with trypsin at 4, 20, or 37 degrees C, under conditions in which cleavage at site II is complete in all molecules, leads to their aggregation in rosettes of lollipop-shaped spikes. Thus, cleavage at site II is required for the structural changes in anchorless F that lead to changes in shape and to aggregation. The segment between sites I and II, residues 110-136, is not associated with anchorless F in the supernatant of infected cell cultures, indicating that it is released from the processed protein when cleavage at sites I and II is completed.