{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,2]],"date-time":"2026-05-02T16:42:36Z","timestamp":1777740156616,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,15]],"date-time":"2021-11-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1636934400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100006205","name":"Stennis Space Center","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["80NSSC19K1603"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["80NSSC19K1603"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100006205","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) tegument protein pp150 is essential for the completion of the final steps in virion maturation. Earlier studies indicated that three pp150nt (N-terminal one-third of pp150) conformers cluster on each triplex (Tri1, Tri2A and Tri2B), and extend towards small capsid proteins atop nearby major capsid proteins, forming a net-like layer of tegument densities that enmesh and stabilize HCMV capsids. Based on this atomic detail, we designed several peptides targeting pp150nt. Our data show significant reduction in virus growth upon treatment with one of these peptides (pep-CR2) with an IC50 of 1.33 \u03bcM and no significant impact on cell viability. Based on 3D modeling, pep-CR2 specifically interferes with the pp150\u2013capsid binding interface. Cells pre-treated with pep-CR2 and infected with HCMV sequester pp150 in the nucleus, indicating a mechanistic disruption of pp150 loading onto capsids and subsequent nuclear egress. Furthermore, pep-CR2 effectively inhibits mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection in cell culture, paving the way for future animal testing. Combined, these results indicate that CR2 of pp150 is amenable to targeting by a peptide inhibitor, and can be developed into an effective antiviral.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v13112277","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,15]],"date-time":"2021-11-15T20:46:47Z","timestamp":1637009207000},"page":"2277","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Tegument Protein pp150 Sequence-Specific Peptide Blocks Cytomegalovirus Infection"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4413-0195","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dipanwita","family":"Mitra","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5645-1981","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad H.","family":"Hasan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5545-6871","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"John T.","family":"Bates","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9104-150X","authenticated-orcid":false,"suffix":"III","given":"Gene L.","family":"Bidwell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"},{"name":"Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"},{"name":"Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8996-8840","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ritesh","family":"Tandon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA"},{"name":"Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Howley, D.M.K.P.M. 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