Phosphorylation of myelin basic protein by vaccinia virus.

Vaccinia virus phosphorylates myelin basic protein in the myelin membrane in vitro. In the presence of vaccinia virus cores maximally 1.5 mol and in the presence of intact virus 0.7 mol phosphate residues were incorporated into 1 mol of myelin basic protein in the myelin membrane. The peptides of myelin basic protein which were phosphorylated by the vaccinia virus kinase were clearly all different from the peptides which were phosphorylated by the endogenous myelin protein kinase. The viral modification of the encephalitogenic protein and its significance to immunological events is discussed.