RESUMO
ORF3 protein, the single accessory protein encoded by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is related to viral pathogenicity. In order to determine the cytoplasmic location signal of PEDV ORF3, we constructed a series of recombinant plasmids carrying full-length or truncated segments of PEDV DR13 ORF3 protein. When the acquired plasmids were transfected into Vero cells, expression and distribution of the EGFP-fused full-length ORF3 protein and its truncated forms in the cells were observed by laser confocal microscopy. The results showed that ORF3 protein or their truncated forms containing 40-91 aa segment including two transmembrane domains were localized in the cytoplasm, whereas ORF3 truncated peptides without the 40-91 aa segment were distributed in the whole cell (in both cytoplasm and nucleus). This suggests that the 40-91 aa is the key structural domain determining cytoplasmic location of PEDV ORF3 protein. The discovery provides reference for further clarifying intracellular transport and biological function of PEDV ORF3 protein.