The interaction between the major capsid protein and the smallest capsid protein of human cytomegalovirus is dependent on two linear sequences in the smallest capsid protein.

The assembly of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) with recombinant systems has not been accomplished. An understanding of specific interactions between individual capsid proteins could point to unique characteristics of the assembly process of HCMV capsids. Similar to its herpes simplex virus counterpart, VP26 (UL35), the HCMV smallest capsid protein (SCP; UL48/49) decorates hexons in the mature capsid. In contrast to VP26, the HCMV SCP is essential for virus assembly. In this study we have shown that the major capsid protein (MCP) and the SCP interact in the cytoplasm of transfected cells and can be coprecipitated from insect cells expressing the MCP and the SCP. Using a two-hybrid reporter assay, we demonstrated that two linear sequences within the SCP are sufficient for SCP and MCP interactions.