Distinct Binding Sites for Zinc and Double-Stranded RNA in the Reovirus Outer Capsid Protein σ3

Abstract

By atomic absorption analysis, we determined that the reovirus outer capsid protein σ3, which binds double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), is a zinc metalloprotein. Using Northwestern blots and a novel zinc blotting technique, we localized the zinc- and dsRNA-binding activities of σ3 to distinct V8 protease-generated fragments. Zinc-binding activity was contained within an amino-terminal fragment that contained a transcription factor IIIA-like zinc-binding sequence, and dsRNA-binding activity was associated with a carboxy-terminal fragment. By these techniques, new zinc- and dsRNA-binding activities were also detected in reovirus core proteins. A sequence similarity was observed between the catalytic site of the picornavirus proteases and the transcription factor IIIA-like zinc-binding site within σ3. We suggest that the zinc- and dsRNA-binding activities of σ3 may be important for its proposed regulatory effects on viral and host cell transcription and translation.