MURINE CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INTERACTS WITH MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX CLASS-I MOLECULES TO ESTABLISH CELLULAR INFECTION

The expression of stable, correctly folded major histocompatibility co mplex class I molecules conferred susceptibility to murine cytomegalov irus (MCMV) in cells which were previously resistant to infection, dem onstrating that these molecules interact critically with MCMV to initi ate infection. All class I molecules could potentiate MCMV infection b ut H-2D(d) and K(b) molecules were most efficient. Monoclonal antibodi es specific for the alpha1 and/or alpha2 domains of D(d) and K(b) inhi bited infection. Infection of L cells transfected with hybrid major hi stocompatibility complex class I molecules demonstrated that allelic c ontrol of susceptibility to MCMV mapped to the alpha1 domain of D(d) w hen in correct configuration with the alpha2 and alpha3 domains. In MC MV-resistant RMA-S cells, an improvement in the conformation of class I molecules introduced susceptibility to infection.