Further characterization of the ts453 mutant of mammalian orthoreovirus serotype 3 and nucleotide sequence of the mutated S4 gene.

The sigma 3 protein of mammalian orthoreoviruses has multiple proven and postulated roles during viral multiplication. In this manuscript we took advantage of the availability of the ts453 thermosensitive mutant, already assigned to the S4 gene encoding sigma 3, to begin the elucidation of the relationship between the two main domains and the different roles of the sigma 3 viral protein. The alteration in the mutant appeared to affect the structural role of the protein. Nucleotide sequence determination indicated an especially significant change close to the zinc finger of the protein. These data suggest that the zinc-binding region might be especially important during the assembly of sigma 3 into the viral capsid.