Processing of virus-specific glycoproteins of varicella zoster virus

Monoclonal antibodies to varicella zoster virus (VZV) glycoproteins were used to study the processing of three glycoproteins with molecular weights of 83K–94K (gp 2), 64K (gp 3), and 55K (gp 5). Immunoprecipitation experiments performed with VZV-infected cells, pulse labeled with [ 3H]glucosamine in the presence of tunicamycin, suggest that O-linked oligosaccharide is present on the glycoprotein of gp 2. Use of the enzyme endo-β- N-acetylglucosaminidase H revealed that the fully processed form of gp 3 had high-mannose type and that of gp 5 had only complex type of N-linked oligosaccharides. Experiments with monensin suggest that the precursor form (116K) of gp 3 is cleaved during the processing from Golgi apparatus to cell surface membrane. The extension of O-linked oligosaccharide chain and the complex type of N-linked oligosaccharide chains also occurs during this processing.