The C-terminal region of envelope protein VP38 from white spot syndrome virus is indispensable for interaction with VP24.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a large, rod-shaped, enveloped double-stranded DNA virus. In this study, VP38, a viral envelope protein, was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein, and a polyclonal antibody against VP38 was obtained. Far-Western blotting and GST pull-down showed that VP38 interacted directly with VP24, a major WSSV envelope protein. In addition, to delineate the interaction region of VP38 with VP24, GST-VP38n (aa 1-142) and GST-VP38c (aa 143-309) were expressed. The GST pull-down assay revealed that VP38 binds via its C-terminal region to VP24. The result implies that VP38 may participate in the formation of the WSSV envelope.