Early alteration of nucleocytoplasmic traffic induced by some RNA viruses

A HeLa cell line expressing the green fluorescent protein fused to the SV40 T-antigen nuclear localization signal (EGFP-NLS) was established. Fluoresc ence in these cells was confined to the nuclei. After poliovirus infection, cytoplasmic fluorescence in a proportion of cells could be detected by 1 h postinfection (p.i.) and in virtually all of the fluorescent cells by 2 h p.i. The relocation could be prevented by cycloheximide but not by inhibiti on of poliovirus replication by guanidine HCl. Nuclear exit of a protein co mposed of three copies of GFP fused to the NLS also occurred upon polioviru s infection. A similar redistribution of EGFP-NLS took place upon infection with coxsakievirus B3 and, to a lesser extent, with vesicular stomatitis v irus. The EGFP-NLS efflux was not due to the loss of NLS. Thus, some positi ve-strand and negative-strand RNA viruses trigger a rapid nonspecific reloc ation of nuclear proteins. (C) 2000 Academic Press.