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Cao C, Fu G, Xu R, Li N. Coupling of Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Risk Factors with Viral Susceptibility and Inflammation. Aging Dis 2024; 15:2028-2050. [PMID: 37962454 PMCID: PMC11346407 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.1017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by persistent cognitive decline. Amyloid plaque deposition and neurofibrillary tangles are the main pathological features of AD brain, though mechanisms leading to the formation of lesions remain to be understood. Genetic efforts through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified dozens of risk genes influencing the pathogenesis and progression of AD, some of which have been revealed in close association with increased viral susceptibilities and abnormal inflammatory responses in AD patients. In the present study, we try to present a list of AD candidate genes that have been shown to affect viral infection and inflammatory responses. Understanding of how AD susceptibility genes interact with the viral life cycle and potential inflammatory pathways would provide possible therapeutic targets for both AD and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ruodan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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2
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Omler A, Mutso M, Vaher M, Freitas JR, Taylor A, David CT, Moseley GW, Liu X, Merits A, Mahalingam S. Exploring Barmah Forest virus pathogenesis: molecular tools to investigate non-structural protein 3 nuclear localization and viral genomic determinants of replication. mBio 2024; 15:e0099324. [PMID: 38953633 PMCID: PMC11323547 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00993-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Barmah Forest virus (BFV) is a mosquito-borne virus that causes arthralgia with accompanying rash, fever, and myalgia in humans. The virus is mainly found in Australia and has caused outbreaks associated with significant health concerns. As the sole representative of the Barmah Forest complex within the genus Alphavirus, BFV is not closely related genetically to other alphaviruses. Notably, basic knowledge of BFV molecular virology has not been well studied due to a lack of critical investigative tools such as an infectious clone. Here we describe the construction of an infectious BFV cDNA clone based on Genbank sequence and demonstrate that the clone-derived virus has in vitro and in vivo properties similar to naturally occurring virus, BFV field isolate 2193 (BFV2193-FI). A substitution in nsP4, V1911D, which was identified in the Genbank reference sequence, was found to inhibit virus rescue and replication. T1325P substitution in nsP2 selected during virus passaging was shown to be an adaptive mutation, compensating for the inhibitory effect of nsP4-V1911D. The two mutations were associated with changes in viral non-structural polyprotein processing and type I interferon (IFN) induction. Interestingly, a nuclear localization signal, active in mammalian but not mosquito cells, was identified in nsP3. A point mutation abolishing nsP3 nuclear localization attenuated BFV replication. This effect was more prominent in the presence of type I interferon signaling, suggesting nsP3 nuclear localization might be associated with IFN antagonism. Furthermore, abolishing nsP3 nuclear localization reduced virus replication in mice but did not significantly affect disease.IMPORTANCEBarmah Forest virus (BFV) is Australia's second most prevalent arbovirus, with approximately 1,000 cases reported annually. The clinical symptoms of BFV infection include rash, polyarthritis, arthralgia, and myalgia. As BFV is not closely related to other pathogenic alphaviruses or well-studied model viruses, our understanding of its molecular virology and mechanisms of pathogenesis is limited. There is also a lack of molecular tools essential for corresponding studies. Here we describe the construction of an infectious clone of BFV, variants harboring point mutations, and sequences encoding marker protein. In infected mammalian cells, nsP3 of BFV was located in the nuclei. This finding extends our understanding of the diverse mechanisms used by alphavirus replicase proteins to interact with host cells. Our novel observations highlight the complex synergy through which the viral replication machinery evolves to correct mutation errors within the viral genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailar Omler
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Institute of Bioengineering, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margit Mutso
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mihkel Vaher
- The Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Joseph R. Freitas
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre for Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adam Taylor
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre for Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Cassandra T. David
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gregory W. Moseley
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xiang Liu
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre for Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Bioengineering, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Suresh Mahalingam
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre for Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
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3
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Krambrich J, Mihalič F, Gaunt MW, Bohlin J, Hesson JC, Lundkvist Å, de Lamballerie X, Li C, Shi W, Pettersson JHO. The evolutionary and molecular history of a chikungunya virus outbreak lineage. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012349. [PMID: 39058744 PMCID: PMC11305590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In 2018-2019, Thailand experienced a nationwide spread of chikungunya virus (CHIKV), with approximately 15,000 confirmed cases of disease reported. Here, we investigated the evolutionary and molecular history of the East/Central/South African (ECSA) genotype to determine the origins of the 2018-2019 CHIKV outbreak in Thailand. This was done using newly sequenced clinical samples from travellers returning to Sweden from Thailand in late 2018 and early 2019 and previously published genome sequences. Our phylogeographic analysis showed that before the outbreak in Thailand, the Indian Ocean lineage (IOL) found within the ESCA, had evolved and circulated in East Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia for about 15 years. In the first half of 2017, an introduction occurred into Thailand from another South Asian country, most likely Bangladesh, which subsequently developed into a large outbreak in Thailand with export to neighbouring countries. Based on comparative phylogenetic analyses of the complete CHIKV genome and protein modelling, we identified several mutations in the E1/E2 spike complex, such as E1 K211E and E2 V264A, which are highly relevant as they may lead to changes in vector competence, transmission efficiency and pathogenicity of the virus. A number of mutations (E2 G205S, Nsp3 D372E, Nsp2 V793A), that emerged shortly before the outbreak of the virus in Thailand in 2018 may have altered antibody binding and recognition due to their position. This study not only improves our understanding of the factors contributing to the epidemic in Southeast Asia, but also has implications for the development of effective response strategies and the potential development of new vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Krambrich
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Filip Mihalič
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Jon Bohlin
- Infectious Disease Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jenny C. Hesson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Biologisk Myggkontroll, Nedre Dalälvens Utvecklings AB, Gysinge, Sweden
| | - Åke Lundkvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Xavier de Lamballerie
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille University—IRD 190—Inserm 1207, Marseille, France
| | - Cixiu Li
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weifeng Shi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Virology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - John H.-O. Pettersson
- Department of Medical Science, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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4
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Ng WH, Liu X, Ling ZL, Santos CNO, Magalhães LS, Kueh AJ, Herold MJ, Taylor A, Freitas JR, Koit S, Wang S, Lloyd AR, Teixeira MM, Merits A, Almeida RP, King NJC, Mahalingam S. FHL1 promotes chikungunya and o'nyong-nyong virus infection and pathogenesis with implications for alphavirus vaccine design. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6605. [PMID: 37884534 PMCID: PMC10603155 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42330-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthritogenic alphaviruses are positive-strand RNA viruses that cause debilitating musculoskeletal diseases affecting millions worldwide. A recent discovery identified the four-and-a-half-LIM domain protein 1 splice variant A (FHL1A) as a crucial host factor interacting with the hypervariable domain (HVD) of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) nonstructural protein 3 (nsP3). Here, we show that acute and chronic chikungunya disease in humans correlates with elevated levels of FHL1. We generated FHL1-/- mice, which when infected with CHIKV or o'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) displayed reduced arthritis and myositis, fewer immune infiltrates, and reduced proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine outputs, compared to infected wild-type (WT) mice. Interestingly, disease signs were comparable in FHL1-/- and WT mice infected with arthritogenic alphaviruses Ross River virus (RRV) or Mayaro virus (MAYV). This aligns with pull-down assay data, which showed the ability of CHIKV and ONNV nsP3 to interact with FHL1, while RRV and MAYV nsP3s did not. We engineered a CHIKV mutant unable to bind FHL1 (CHIKV-ΔFHL1), which was avirulent in vivo. Following inoculation with CHIKV-ΔFHL1, mice were protected from disease upon challenge with CHIKV and ONNV, and viraemia was significantly reduced in RRV- and MAYV-challenged mice. Targeting FHL1-binding as an approach to vaccine design could lead to breakthroughs in mitigating alphaviral disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wern Hann Ng
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre of Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Xiang Liu
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre of Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Zheng L Ling
- Viral Immunopathology Laboratory, Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research Theme, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Camilla N O Santos
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Brazil
| | - Lucas S Magalhães
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Brazil
| | - Andrew J Kueh
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
| | - Marco J Herold
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
| | - Adam Taylor
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre of Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Joseph R Freitas
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre of Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Sandra Koit
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sainan Wang
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andrew R Lloyd
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Mauro M Teixeira
- Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Roque P Almeida
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Brazil
| | - Nicholas J C King
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Viral Immunopathology Laboratory, Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research Theme, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Suresh Mahalingam
- Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia.
- Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre of Excellence in Arboviruses, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
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5
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Mihalič F, Simonetti L, Giudice G, Sander MR, Lindqvist R, Peters MBA, Benz C, Kassa E, Badgujar D, Inturi R, Ali M, Krystkowiak I, Sayadi A, Andersson E, Aronsson H, Söderberg O, Dobritzsch D, Petsalaki E, Överby AK, Jemth P, Davey NE, Ivarsson Y. Large-scale phage-based screening reveals extensive pan-viral mimicry of host short linear motifs. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2409. [PMID: 37100772 PMCID: PMC10132805 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38015-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses mimic host short linear motifs (SLiMs) to hijack and deregulate cellular functions. Studies of motif-mediated interactions therefore provide insight into virus-host dependencies, and reveal targets for therapeutic intervention. Here, we describe the pan-viral discovery of 1712 SLiM-based virus-host interactions using a phage peptidome tiling the intrinsically disordered protein regions of 229 RNA viruses. We find mimicry of host SLiMs to be a ubiquitous viral strategy, reveal novel host proteins hijacked by viruses, and identify cellular pathways frequently deregulated by viral motif mimicry. Using structural and biophysical analyses, we show that viral mimicry-based interactions have similar binding strength and bound conformations as endogenous interactions. Finally, we establish polyadenylate-binding protein 1 as a potential target for broad-spectrum antiviral agent development. Our platform enables rapid discovery of mechanisms of viral interference and the identification of potential therapeutic targets which can aid in combating future epidemics and pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Mihalič
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Leandro Simonetti
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Girolamo Giudice
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Marie Rubin Sander
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Box 591, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90186, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marie Berit Akpiroro Peters
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90186, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Caroline Benz
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eszter Kassa
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dilip Badgujar
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Raviteja Inturi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Muhammad Ali
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Izabella Krystkowiak
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Ahmed Sayadi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanna Aronsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ola Söderberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Box 591, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Doreen Dobritzsch
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Evangelia Petsalaki
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90186, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per Jemth
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Norman E Davey
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK.
| | - Ylva Ivarsson
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Byers NM, Burns PL, Stuchlik O, Reed MS, Ledermann JP, Pohl J, Powers AM. Identification of mosquito proteins that differentially interact with alphavirus nonstructural protein 3, a determinant of vector specificity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011028. [PMID: 36696390 PMCID: PMC9876241 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and the closely related onyong-nyong virus (ONNV) are arthritogenic arboviruses that have caused significant, often debilitating, disease in millions of people. However, despite their kinship, they are vectored by different mosquito subfamilies that diverged 180 million years ago (anopheline versus culicine subfamilies). Previous work indicated that the nonstructural protein 3 (nsP3) of these alphaviruses was partially responsible for this vector specificity. To better understand the cellular components controlling alphavirus vector specificity, a cell culture model system of the anopheline restriction of CHIKV was developed along with a protein expression strategy. Mosquito proteins that differentially interacted with CHIKV nsP3 or ONNV nsP3 were identified. Six proteins were identified that specifically bound ONNV nsP3, ten that bound CHIKV nsP3 and eight that interacted with both. In addition to identifying novel factors that may play a role in virus/vector processing, these lists included host proteins that have been previously implicated as contributing to alphavirus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel M. Byers
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Paul L. Burns
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Olga Stuchlik
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Matthew S. Reed
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jeremy P. Ledermann
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jan Pohl
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ann M. Powers
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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7
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Wang S, Merits A. G3BP/Rin-Binding Motifs Inserted into Flexible Regions of nsP2 Support RNA Replication of Chikungunya Virus. J Virol 2022; 96:e0127822. [PMID: 36226983 PMCID: PMC9645214 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01278-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus. In infected cells, its positive-sense RNA genome is translated into polyproteins that are subsequently processed into four nonstructural proteins (nsP1 to 4), the virus-encoded subunits of the RNA replicase. However, for RNA replication, interactions between nsPs and host proteins are also needed. These interactions are mostly mediated through the intrinsically disordered C-terminal hypervariable domain (HVD) in nsP3. Duplicate FGDF motifs in the HVD are required for interaction with mammalian RasGAP SH3-binding proteins (G3BPs) and their mosquito homolog Rin; these interactions are crucial for CHIKV RNA replication. In this study, we inactivated G3BP/Rin-binding motifs in the HVD and inserted peptides containing either native or inactivated G3BP/Rin-binding motifs into flexible regions of nsP1, nsP2, or nsP4. Insertion of native motifs into nsP1 or nsP2 but not into the C terminus of nsP4 activated CHIKV RNA replication in human cells in a G3BP-dependent manner. In mosquito cells, activation also resulted from the insertion of inactive motifs after residue 8 or 466 in nsP2; however, the effect was significantly larger when the inserted sequence contained native motifs. Nonetheless, CHIKV mutants harboring mutations in the HVD and containing insertions of native motifs in nsP2 were not viable in mosquito cells. In contrast, mutant genomes containing native motifs after residue 466 or 618 in nsP2 replicated in BHK-21 cells, with the latter mutant forming infectious progeny. Thus, the binding of G3BPs to nsP2 can support CHIKV RNA replication and restore the infectivity of viruses lacking G3BP-binding motifs in the HVD of nsP3. IMPORTANCE CHIKV is a reemerging alphavirus that has spread throughout more than 60 countries and is the causative agent of chikungunya fever. No approved drugs or vaccines are available for the treatment or prevention of CHIKV infection. CHIKV replication depends on the ability of its replicase proteins to interact with host cell factors, and a better understanding of host cell factor roles in viral infection will increase our understanding of CHIKV RNA replication and provide new strategies for viral infection attenuation. Here, we demonstrate that the motifs required for the binding of host G3BP/Rin proteins remain functional when transferred from their natural location in nsP3 to different replicase proteins and may enable mutant viruses to complete a full replication cycle. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of interaction motifs for crucial host factors being successfully transferred from one replicase protein to another subunit of alphavirus replicase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sainan Wang
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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8
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Neyret A, Bernard E, Aïqui-Reboul-Paviet O, Bakhache W, Eldin P, Chaloin L, Briant L. Identification of a non-canonical G3BP-binding sequence in a Mayaro virus nsP3 hypervariable domain. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:958176. [PMID: 36034716 PMCID: PMC9403187 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.958176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ras-GTPase-activating SH3 domain-binding-proteins 1 (G3BP1) and 2 (G3BP2) are multifunctional RNA-binding proteins involved in stress granule nucleation, previously identified as essential cofactors of Old World alphaviruses. They are recruited to viral replication complexes formed by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Semliki Forest virus (SFV), and Sindbis virus (SINV) via an interaction with a duplicated FGxF motif conserved in the hypervariable domain (HVD) of virus-encoded nsP3. According to mutagenesis studies, this FGxF duplication is strictly required for G3BP binding and optimal viral growth. Contrasting with this scenario, nsP3 encoded by Mayaro virus (MAYV), an arthritogenic virus grouped with Old World alphaviruses, contains a single canonical FGxF sequence. In light of this unusual feature, we questioned MAYV nsP3/G3BPs relationships. We report that G3BP1 and G3BP2 are both required for MAYV growth in human cells and bind nsP3 protein. In infected cells, they are recruited to nsP3-containing cytosolic foci and active replication complexes. Unexpectedly, deletion of the single FGxF sequence in MAYV nsP3 did not abolish these phenotypes. Using mutagenesis and in silico modeling, we identify an upstream FGAP amino acid sequence as an additional MAYV nsP3/G3BP interaction motif required for optimal viral infectivity. These results, therefore, highlight a non-conventional G3BP binding sequence in MAYV nsP3.
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9
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Kumar M, Michael S, Alvarado-Valverde J, Mészáros B, Sámano‐Sánchez H, Zeke A, Dobson L, Lazar T, Örd M, Nagpal A, Farahi N, Käser M, Kraleti R, Davey N, Pancsa R, Chemes L, Gibson T. The Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource: 2022 release. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:D497-D508. [PMID: 34718738 PMCID: PMC8728146 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost twenty years after its initial release, the Eukaryotic Linear Motif (ELM) resource remains an invaluable source of information for the study of motif-mediated protein-protein interactions. ELM provides a comprehensive, regularly updated and well-organised repository of manually curated, experimentally validated short linear motifs (SLiMs). An increasing number of SLiM-mediated interactions are discovered each year and keeping the resource up-to-date continues to be a great challenge. In the current update, 30 novel motif classes have been added and five existing classes have undergone major revisions. The update includes 411 new motif instances mostly focused on cell-cycle regulation, control of the actin cytoskeleton, membrane remodelling and vesicle trafficking pathways, liquid-liquid phase separation and integrin signalling. Many of the newly annotated motif-mediated interactions are targets of pathogenic motif mimicry by viral, bacterial or eukaryotic pathogens, providing invaluable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying infectious diseases. The current ELM release includes 317 motif classes incorporating 3934 individual motif instances manually curated from 3867 scientific publications. ELM is available at: http://elm.eu.org.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjeet Kumar
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Sushama Michael
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Jesús Alvarado-Valverde
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Collaboration for joint PhD degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences
| | - Bálint Mészáros
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Hugo Sámano‐Sánchez
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - András Zeke
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Laszlo Dobson
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Tamas Lazar
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Department of Bioengineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mihkel Örd
- Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Anurag Nagpal
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani, K. K. Birla Goa campus, Zuarinagar, Goa 403726, India
| | - Nazanin Farahi
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Department of Bioengineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Melanie Käser
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ramya Kraleti
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Ludwigstraße 23, 35390 Gießen, Germany
| | - Norman E Davey
- Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Rita Pancsa
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Lucía B Chemes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas “Dr. Rodolfo A. Ugalde”, IIB-UNSAM, IIBIO-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Av. 25 de Mayo y Francia, CP1650 San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Toby J Gibson
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
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10
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Abstract
Alphaviruses are positive-strand RNA viruses, typically transmitted by mosquitoes between vertebrate hosts. They encode four essential replication proteins, the non-structural proteins nsP1-4, which possess the enzymatic activities of RNA capping, RNA helicase, site-specific protease, ADP-ribosyl removal and RNA polymerase. Alphaviruses have been key models in the study of membrane-associated RNA replication, which is a conserved feature among the positive-strand RNA viruses of animals and plants. We review new structural and functional information on the nsPs and their interaction with host proteins and membranes, as well as with viral RNA sequences. The dodecameric ring structure of nsP1 is likely to be one of the evolutionary innovations that facilitated the success of the progenitors of current positive-strand RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tero Ahola
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gerald McInerney
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
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11
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Teppor M, Žusinaite E, Karo-Astover L, Omler A, Rausalu K, Lulla V, Lulla A, Merits A. Semliki Forest Virus Chimeras with Functional Replicase Modules from Related Alphaviruses Survive by Adaptive Mutations in Functionally Important Hot Spots. J Virol 2021; 95:e0097321. [PMID: 34319778 PMCID: PMC8475518 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00973-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses (family Togaviridae) include both human pathogens such as chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Sindbis virus (SINV) and model viruses such as Semliki Forest virus (SFV). The alphavirus positive-strand RNA genome is translated into nonstructural (ns) polyprotein(s) that are precursors for four nonstructural proteins (nsPs). The three-dimensional structures of nsP2 and the N-terminal 2/3 of nsP3 reveal that these proteins consist of several domains. Cleavage of the ns-polyprotein is performed by the strictly regulated protease activity of the nsP2 region. Processing results in the formation of a replicase complex that can be considered a network of functional modules. These modules work cooperatively and should perform the same task for each alphavirus. To investigate functional interactions between replicase components, we generated chimeras using the SFV genome as a backbone. The functional modules corresponding to different parts of nsP2 and nsP3 were swapped with their counterparts from CHIKV and SINV. Although some chimeras were nonfunctional, viruses harboring the CHIKV N-terminal domain of nsP2 or any domain of nsP3 were viable. Viruses harboring the protease part of nsP2, the full-length nsP2 of CHIKV, or the nsP3 macrodomain of SINV required adaptive mutations for functionality. Seven mutations that considerably improved the infectivity of the corresponding chimeric genomes affected functionally important hot spots recurrently highlighted in previous alphavirus studies. These data indicate that alphaviruses utilize a rather limited set of strategies to survive and adapt. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed that the disturbance of processing was the main defect resulting from chimeric alterations within the ns-polyprotein. IMPORTANCE Alphaviruses cause debilitating symptoms and have caused massive outbreaks. There are currently no approved antivirals or vaccines for treating these infections. Understanding the functions of alphavirus replicase proteins (nsPs) provides valuable information for both antiviral drug and vaccine development. The nsPs of all alphaviruses consist of similar functional modules; however, to what extent these are independent in functionality and thus interchangeable among homologous viruses is largely unknown. Homologous domain swapping was used to study the functioning of modules from nsP2 and nsP3 of other alphaviruses in the context of Semliki Forest virus. Most of the introduced substitutions resulted in defects in the processing of replicase precursors that were typically compensated by adaptive mutations that mapped to determinants of polyprotein processing. Understanding the principles of virus survival strategies and identifying hot spot mutations that permit virus adaptation highlight a route to the rapid development of attenuated viruses as potential live vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Teppor
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Eva Žusinaite
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Ailar Omler
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kai Rausalu
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Valeria Lulla
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Aleksei Lulla
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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12
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Das P, Dudley JP. How Viruses Use the VCP/p97 ATPase Molecular Machine. Viruses 2021; 13:1881. [PMID: 34578461 PMCID: PMC8473244 DOI: 10.3390/v13091881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that are dependent on host factors for their replication. One such host protein, p97 or the valosin-containing protein (VCP), is a highly conserved AAA ATPase that facilitates replication of diverse RNA- and DNA-containing viruses. The wide range of cellular functions attributed to this ATPase is consistent with its participation in multiple steps of the virus life cycle from entry and uncoating to viral egress. Studies of VCP/p97 interactions with viruses will provide important information about host processes and cell biology, but also viral strategies that take advantage of these host functions. The critical role of p97 in viral replication might be exploited as a target for development of pan-antiviral drugs that exceed the capability of virus-specific vaccines or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poulami Das
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA;
| | - Jaquelin P. Dudley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA;
- LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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13
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Alphavirus Virulence Determinants. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080981. [PMID: 34451445 PMCID: PMC8401390 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are important pathogens that continue to cause outbreaks of disease in humans and animals worldwide. Diseases caused by alphavirus infections include acute symptoms of fever, rash, and nausea as well as chronic arthritis and severe-to-fatal conditions including myocarditis and encephalitis. Despite their prevalence and the significant public health threat they pose, there are currently no effective antiviral treatments or vaccines against alphaviruses. Various genetic determinants of alphavirus virulence, including genomic RNA elements and specific protein residues and domains, have been described by researchers to play key roles in the development of disease, the immune response to infection, and virus transmissibility. Here, we focus on the determinants that are currently described in the literature. Understanding how these molecular determinants shape viral infections can lead to new strategies for the development of therapies and vaccines to combat these viruses.
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14
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NAP1L1 and NAP1L4 Binding to Hypervariable Domain of Chikungunya Virus nsP3 Protein Is Bivalent and Requires Phosphorylation. J Virol 2021; 95:e0083621. [PMID: 34076483 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00836-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is one of the most pathogenic members of the Alphavirus genus in the Togaviridae family. Within the last 2 decades, CHIKV has expanded its presence to both hemispheres and is currently circulating in both Old and New Worlds. Despite the severity and persistence of the arthritis it causes in humans, no approved vaccines or therapeutic means have been developed for CHIKV infection. Replication of alphaviruses, including CHIKV, is determined not only by their nonstructural proteins but also by a wide range of host factors, which are indispensable components of viral replication complexes (vRCs). Alphavirus nsP3s contain hypervariable domains (HVDs), which encode multiple motifs that drive recruitment of cell- and virus-specific host proteins into vRCs. Our previous data suggested that NAP1 family members are a group of host factors that may interact with CHIKV nsP3 HVD. In this study, we performed a detailed investigation of the NAP1 function in CHIKV replication in vertebrate cells. Our data demonstrate that (i) the NAP1-HVD interactions have strong stimulatory effects on CHIKV replication, (ii) both NAP1L1 and NAP1L4 interact with the CHIKV HVD, (iii) NAP1 family members interact with two motifs, which are located upstream and downstream of the G3BP-binding motifs of CHIKV HVD, (iv) NAP1 proteins interact only with a phosphorylated form of CHIKV HVD, and HVD phosphorylation is mediated by CK2 kinase, and (v) NAP1 and other families of host factors redundantly promote CHIKV replication and their bindings have additive stimulatory effects on viral replication. IMPORTANCE Cellular proteins play critical roles in the assembly of alphavirus replication complexes (vRCs). Their recruitment is determined by the viral nonstructural protein 3 (nsP3). This protein contains a long, disordered hypervariable domain (HVD), which encodes virus-specific combinations of short linear motifs interacting with host factors during vRC assembly. Our study defined the binding mechanism of NAP1 family members to CHIKV HVD and demonstrated a stimulatory effect of this interaction on viral replication. We show that interaction with NAP1L1 is mediated by two HVD motifs and requires phosphorylation of HVD by CK2 kinase. Based on the accumulated data, we present a map of the binding motifs of the critical host factors currently known to interact with CHIKV HVD. It can be used to manipulate cell specificity of viral replication and pathogenesis, and to develop a new generation of vaccine candidates.
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15
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Kril V, Aïqui-Reboul-Paviet O, Briant L, Amara A. New Insights into Chikungunya Virus Infection and Pathogenesis. Annu Rev Virol 2021; 8:327-347. [PMID: 34255544 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-091919-102021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne alphavirus responsible for major outbreaks of disease since 2004 in the Indian Ocean islands, South east Asia, and the Americas. CHIKV causes debilitating musculoskeletal disorders in humans that are characterized by fever, rash, polyarthralgia, and myalgia. The disease is often self-limiting and nonlethal; however, some patients experience atypical or severe clinical manifestations, as well as a chronic rheumatic syndrome. Unfortunately, no efficient antivirals against CHIKV infection are available so far, highlighting the importance of deepening our knowledge of CHIKV host cell interactions and viral replication strategies. In this review, we discuss recent breakthroughs in the molecular mechanisms that regulate CHIKV infection and lay down the foundations to understand viral pathogenesis. We describe the role of the recently identified host factors co-opted by the virus for infection and pathogenesis, and emphasize the importance of CHIKV nonstructural proteins in both replication complex assembly and host immune response evasion. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Virology, Volume 8 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliya Kril
- Biology of Emerging Virus Team, INSERM U944, CNRS UMR 7212, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Olivier Aïqui-Reboul-Paviet
- RNA Viruses and Metabolism Team, CNRS UMR 9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France;
| | - Laurence Briant
- RNA Viruses and Metabolism Team, CNRS UMR 9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France;
| | - Ali Amara
- Biology of Emerging Virus Team, INSERM U944, CNRS UMR 7212, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Université de Paris, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75010 Paris, France;
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16
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Abdullah N, Ahemad N, Aliazis K, Khairat JE, Lee TC, Abdul Ahmad SA, Adnan NAA, Macha NO, Hassan SS. The Putative Roles and Functions of Indel, Repetition and Duplication Events in Alphavirus Non-Structural Protein 3 Hypervariable Domain (nsP3 HVD) in Evolution, Viability and Re-Emergence. Viruses 2021; 13:v13061021. [PMID: 34071712 PMCID: PMC8228767 DOI: 10.3390/v13061021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphavirus non-structural proteins 1–4 (nsP1, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4) are known to be crucial for alphavirus RNA replication and translation. To date, nsP3 has been demonstrated to mediate many virus–host protein–protein interactions in several fundamental alphavirus mechanisms, particularly during the early stages of replication. However, the molecular pathways and proteins networks underlying these mechanisms remain poorly described. This is due to the low genetic sequence homology of the nsP3 protein among the alphavirus species, especially at its 3′ C-terminal domain, the hypervariable domain (HVD). Moreover, the nsP3 HVD is almost or completely intrinsically disordered and has a poor ability to form secondary structures. Evolution in the nsP3 HVD region allows the alphavirus to adapt to vertebrate and insect hosts. This review focuses on the putative roles and functions of indel, repetition, and duplication events that have occurred in the alphavirus nsP3 HVD, including characterization of the differences and their implications for specificity in the context of virus–host interactions in fundamental alphavirus mechanisms, which have thus directly facilitated the evolution, adaptation, viability, and re-emergence of these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurshariza Abdullah
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia; (N.A.); (N.A.A.A.); (N.O.M.)
| | - Nafees Ahemad
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia;
- Infectious Diseases and Health Cluster, Tropical Medicine and Biology Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Konstantinos Aliazis
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK;
| | - Jasmine Elanie Khairat
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
| | - Thong Chuan Lee
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology, University Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, Gambang, Kuantan 26300, Pahang, Malaysia;
| | - Siti Aisyah Abdul Ahmad
- Immunogenetic Unit, Allergy and Immunology Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Nur Amelia Azreen Adnan
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia; (N.A.); (N.A.A.A.); (N.O.M.)
| | - Nur Omar Macha
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia; (N.A.); (N.A.A.A.); (N.O.M.)
| | - Sharifah Syed Hassan
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia; (N.A.); (N.A.A.A.); (N.O.M.)
- Infectious Diseases and Health Cluster, Tropical Medicine and Biology Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-3-5514-6340
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17
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Phosphorylation Sites in the Hypervariable Domain in Chikungunya Virus nsP3 Are Crucial for Viral Replication. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02276-20. [PMID: 33568506 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02276-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV, family Togaviridae) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus. The positive-sense RNA genome of CHIKV encodes four nonstructural proteins (nsP1 to nsP4) that are virus-specific subunits of the RNA replicase. Among nsP functions, those of nsP3 are the least understood. The C-terminal hypervariable domain (HVD) in nsP3 is disordered and serves as a platform for interactions with multiple host proteins. For Sindbis virus (SINV) and Semliki Forest virus (SFV), the nsP3 HVD has been shown to be phosphorylated. Deletion of phosphorylated regions has a mild effect on the growth of SFV and SINV in vertebrate cells. Using radiolabeling, we demonstrated that nsP3 in CHIKV and o'nyong-nyong virus is also phosphorylated. We showed that the phosphorylated residues in CHIKV nsP3 are not clustered at the beginning of the HVD. The substitution of 20 Ser/Thr residues located in the N-terminal half of the HVD or 26 Ser/Thr residues located in its C-terminal half with Ala residues reduced the activity of the CHIKV replicase and the infectivity of CHIKV in mammalian cells. Furthermore, the substitution of all 46 potentially phosphorylated residues resulted in the complete loss of viral RNA synthesis and infectivity. The mutations did not affect the interaction of the HVD in nsP3 with the host G3BP1 protein; interactions with CD2AP, BIN1, and FHL1 proteins were significantly reduced but not abolished. Thus, CHIKV differs from SFV and SINV both in the location of the phosphorylated residues in the HVD in nsP3 and, significantly, in their effect on replicase activity and virus infectivity.IMPORTANCE CHIKV outbreaks have affected millions of people, creating a need for the development of antiviral approaches. nsP3 is a component of the CHIKV RNA replicase and is involved in interactions with host proteins and signaling cascades. Phosphorylation of the HVD in nsP3 is important for the virulent alphavirus phenotype. Here, we demonstrate that nsP3 in CHIKV is phosphorylated and that the phosphorylation sites in the HVD are distributed in a unique pattern. Furthermore, the abrogation of some of the phosphorylation sites results in the attenuation of CHIKV, while abolishing all the phosphorylation sites completely blocked its replicase activity. Thus, the phosphorylation of nsP3 and/or the phosphorylation sites in nsP3 have a major impact on CHIKV infectivity. Therefore, they represent promising targets for antiviral compounds and CHIKV attenuation. In addition, this new information offers valuable insight into the vast network of virus-host interactions.
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18
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Tuvikene J, Esvald EE, Rähni A, Uustalu K, Zhuravskaya A, Avarlaid A, Makeyev EV, Timmusk T. Intronic enhancer region governs transcript-specific Bdnf expression in rodent neurons. eLife 2021; 10:65161. [PMID: 33560226 PMCID: PMC7891933 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) controls the survival, growth, and function of neurons both during the development and in the adult nervous system. Bdnf is transcribed from several distinct promoters generating transcripts with alternative 5' exons. Bdnf transcripts initiated at the first cluster of exons have been associated with the regulation of body weight and various aspects of social behavior, but the mechanisms driving the expression of these transcripts have remained poorly understood. Here, we identify an evolutionarily conserved intronic enhancer region inside the Bdnf gene that regulates both basal and stimulus-dependent expression of the Bdnf transcripts starting from the first cluster of 5' exons in mouse and rat neurons. We further uncover a functional E-box element in the enhancer region, linking the expression of Bdnf and various pro-neural basic helix–loop–helix transcription factors. Collectively, our results shed new light on the cell-type- and stimulus-specific regulation of the important neurotrophic factor BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eli-Eelika Esvald
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Annika Rähni
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kaie Uustalu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anna Zhuravskaya
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Annela Avarlaid
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eugene V Makeyev
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
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19
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Ghildiyal R, Gabrani R. Deciphering the human cellular interactors of alphavirus unique domain of chikungunya virus. Virus Res 2021; 295:198288. [PMID: 33418023 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The life-threatening re-emerged chikungunya virus (CHIKV) can cause an epidemic outbreak and still has no vaccine available so far. Alphavirus unique domain (AUD) of CHIKV nsP3 is a multifunctional domain that remains conserved among alphaviruses and is critical for CHIKV replication. The understanding of AUD-host protein-protein interactions and their association with the cellular processes concerning CHIKV infection are not well studied. In the current study, the protein-protein interactions of AUD and its human host were elucidated by screening of universal human cDNA library using yeast two-hybrid system. The chosen interactions were further validated by GST pull-down assay, and their network mapping was analyzed. The study revealed that the identified interactors are linked with the vesicle trafficking and transcription corepressor activities. Further, the interfacial residues of interactions between viral and host proteins were predicted, which will further provide the new platform to develop novel antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Ghildiyal
- Center for Emerging Diseases, Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, UP, 201309, India.
| | - Reema Gabrani
- Center for Emerging Diseases, Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, UP, 201309, India.
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20
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Structural and Functional Characterization of Host FHL1 Protein Interaction with Hypervariable Domain of Chikungunya Virus nsP3 Protein. J Virol 2020; 95:JVI.01672-20. [PMID: 33055253 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01672-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Decades of insufficient control have resulted in unprecedented spread of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) around the globe, and millions have suffered from the highly debilitating disease. Nevertheless, the current understanding of CHIKV-host interactions and adaptability of the virus to replication in mosquitoes and mammalian hosts is still elusive. Our new study shows that four-and-a-half LIM domain protein (FHL1) is one of the host factors that interact with the hypervariable domain (HVD) of CHIKV nsP3. Unlike G3BPs, FHL1 is not a prerequisite of CHIKV replication, and many commonly used cell lines do not express FHL1. However, its expression has a detectable stimulatory effect(s) on CHIKV replication, and Fhl1 knockout (KO) cell lines demonstrate slower infection spread. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based studies revealed that the binding site of FHL1 in CHIKV nsP3 HVD overlaps that of another proviral host factor, CD2AP. The structural data also demonstrated that FHL1-HVD interaction is mostly determined by the LIM1 domain of FHL1. However, it does not mirror binding of the entire protein, suggesting that other LIM domains are involved. In agreement with previously published data, our biological experiments showed that interactions of CHIKV HVD with CD2AP and FHL1 have additive effects on the efficiency of CHIKV replication. This study shows that CHIKV mutants with extensive modifications of FHL1- or both FHL1- and CD2AP-binding sites remain viable and develop spreading infection in multiple cell types. Our study also demonstrated that other members of the FHL family can bind to CHIKV HVD and thus may be involved in viral replication.IMPORTANCE Replication of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is determined by a wide range of host factors. Previously, we have demonstrated that the hypervariable domain (HVD) of CHIKV nsP3 contains linear motifs that recruit defined families of host proteins into formation of functional viral replication complexes. Now, using NMR-based structural and biological approaches, we have characterized the binding site of the cellular FHL1 protein in CHIKV HVD and defined the biological significance of this interaction. In contrast to previously described binding of G3BP to CHIKV HVD, the FHL1-HVD interaction was found to not be a prerequisite of viral replication. However, the presence of FHL1 has a stimulatory effect on CHIKV infectivity and, subsequently, the infection spread. FHL1 and CD2AP proteins were found to have overlapping binding sites in CHIKV HVD and additive proviral functions. Elimination of the FHL1-binding site in the nsP3 HVD can be used for the development of stable, attenuated vaccine candidates.
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Hypervariable Domain of nsP3 of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Is a Critical Determinant of Viral Virulence. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.00617-20. [PMID: 32581106 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00617-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is the most pathogenic member of the Alphavirus genus in the Togaviridae family. This virus continues to circulate in the New World and has a potential for deliberate use as a bioweapon. Despite the public health threat, to date no attenuated EEEV variants have been applied as live EEEV vaccines. Our previous studies demonstrated the critical function of the hypervariable domain (HVD) in EEEV nsP3 for the assembly of viral replication complexes (vRCs). EEEV HVD contains short linear motifs that recruit host proteins required for vRC formation and function. In this study, we developed a set of EEEV mutants that contained combinations of deletions in nsP3 HVD and clustered mutations in capsid protein, and tested the effects of these modifications on EEEV infection in vivo These mutations had cumulative negative effects on viral ability to induce meningoencephalitis. The deletions of two critical motifs, which interact with the members of cellular FXR and G3BP protein families, made EEEV cease to be neurovirulent. The additional clustered mutations in capsid protein, which affect its ability to induce transcriptional shutoff, diminished EEEV's ability to develop viremia. Most notably, despite the inability to induce detectable disease, the designed EEEV mutants remained highly immunogenic and, after a single dose, protected mice against subsequent infection with wild-type (wt) EEEV. Thus, alterations of interactions of EEEV HVD and likely HVDs of other alphaviruses with host factors represent an important direction for development of highly attenuated viruses that can be applied as live vaccines.IMPORTANCE Hypervariable domains (HVDs) of alphavirus nsP3 proteins recruit host proteins into viral replication complexes. The sets of HVD-binding host factors are specific for each alphavirus, and we have previously identified those specific for EEEV. The results of this study demonstrate that the deletions of the binding sites of the G3BP and FXR protein families in the nsP3 HVD of EEEV make the virus avirulent for mice. Mutations in the nuclear localization signal in EEEV capsid protein have an additional negative effect on viral replication in vivo Despite the inability to cause a detectable disease, the double HVD and triple HVD/capsid mutants induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Single immunization protects mice against infection with the highly pathogenic North American strain of EEEV. High safety, the inability to revert to wild-type phenotype, and high immunogenicity make the designed mutants attractive vaccine candidates for EEEV infection.
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Wang Y, Zhang H, Ma D, Deng X, Wu D, Li F, Wu Q, Liu H, Wang J. Hsp70 Is a Potential Therapeutic Target for Echovirus 9 Infection. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:146. [PMID: 32766279 PMCID: PMC7379509 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Echovirus is an important cause of viral pneumonia and encephalitis in infants, neonates, and young children worldwide. However, the exact mechanism of its pathogenesis is still not well understood. Here, we established an echovirus type 9 infection mice model, and performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based comparative proteomics analysis to investigate the differentially expressed host proteins in mice brain. A total of 21 differentially expressed proteins were identified by MS/MS. The annotation of the differentially expressed proteins by function using the UniProt and GO databases identified one viral protein (5%), seven cytoskeletal proteins (33%), six macromolecular biosynthesis and metabolism proteins (28%), two stress response and chaperone binding proteins (9%), and five other cellular proteins (25%). The subcellular locations of these proteins were mainly found in the cytoskeleton, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, and Golgi apparatus. The protein expression profiles and the results of quantitative RT-PCR in the detection of gene transcripts were found to complement each other. The differential protein interaction network was predicted using the STRING database. Of the identified proteins, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), showing consistent results in the proteomics and transcriptomic analyses, was analyzed through Western blotting to verify the reliability of differential protein expression data in this study. Further, evaluation of the function of Hsp70 using siRNA and quercetin, an inhibitor of Hsp70, showed that Hsp70 was necessary for the infection of echovirus type 9. This study revealed that echovirus infection could cause the differential expression of a series of host proteins, which is helpful to reveal the pathogenesis of viral infection and identify therapeutic drug targets. Additionally, our results suggest that Hsp70 could be a useful therapeutic host protein target for echovirus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongbo Ma
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiang Deng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongdong Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiuge Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Sensitivity of Alphaviruses to G3BP Deletion Correlates with Efficiency of Replicase Polyprotein Processing. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01681-19. [PMID: 31941782 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01681-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a comprehensive overview of the dependency of several Old World alphaviruses for the host protein G3BP. Based on their replication ability in G3BP-deleted cells, Old World alphaviruses can be categorized into two groups, being either resistant or sensitive to G3BP deletion. We observed that all sensitive viruses have an Arg residue at the P4 position of the cleavage site between the nonstructural protein P1 (nsP1) and nsP2 regions of the replicase precursor polyprotein (1/2 site), while a different residue is found at this site in viruses resistant to G3BP deletion. Swapping this residue between resistant and sensitive viruses also switches the G3BP deletion sensitivity. In the absence of G3BP, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) replication is at the limit of detection. The P4 Arg-to-His substitution partially rescues this defect. The P4 residue of the 1/2 site is known to play a regulatory role during processing at this site, and we found that if processing is blocked, the influence of the P4 residue on the sensitivity to G3BP deletion is abolished. Immunofluorescence experiments with CHIKV replicase with manipulated processing indicate that the synthesis of double-stranded RNA is defective in the absence of G3BP and suggest a role of G3BP during negative-strand RNA synthesis. This study provides a functional link between the host protein G3BP and the P4 residue of the 1/2 site for viral RNA replication of Old World alphaviruses. While this suggests a link between G3BP proteins and viral replicase polyprotein processing, we propose that G3BP proteins do not have a regulatory role during polyprotein processing.IMPORTANCE Old World alphaviruses comprise several medically relevant viruses, including chikungunya virus and Ross River virus. Recurrent outbreaks and the lack of antivirals and vaccines demand ongoing research to fight the emergence of these infectious diseases. In this context, a thorough investigation of virus-host interactions is critical. Here, we highlight the importance of the host protein G3BP for several Old World alphaviruses. Our data strongly suggest that G3BP plays a crucial role for the activity of the viral replicase and, thus, the amplification of the viral RNA genome. To our knowledge, the present work is the first to provide a functional link between the regulation of viral polyprotein processing and RNA replication and a host factor for alphaviruses. Moreover, the results of this study raise several questions about the fundamental regulatory mechanisms that dictate the activity of the viral replicase, thereby paving the way for future studies.
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Mutations in Hypervariable Domain of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus nsP3 Protein Differentially Affect Viral Replication. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01841-19. [PMID: 31694937 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01841-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is one of the important human and animal pathogens. It forms replication enzyme complexes (RCs) containing viral nonstructural proteins (nsPs) that mediate the synthesis of virus-specific RNAs. The assembly and associated functions of RC also depend on the presence of a specific set of host proteins. Our study demonstrates that the hypervariable domain (HVD) of VEEV nsP3 interacts with the members of the FXR family of cellular proteins and also binds the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain-containing proteins CD2AP and SH3KBP1. Interactions with FXR family members are mediated by the C-terminal repeating peptide of HVD. A single short, minimal motif identified in this study is sufficient for driving efficient VEEV replication in the absence of HVD interactions with other host proteins. The SH3 domain-containing proteins bind to another fragment of VEEV HVD. They can promote viral replication in the absence of FXR-HVD interactions albeit less efficiently. VEEV replication can be also switched from an FXR-dependent to a chikungunya virus-specific, G3BP-dependent mode. The described modifications of VEEV HVD have a strong impact on viral replication in vitro and pathogenesis. Their effects on viral pathogenesis depend on mouse age and the genetic background of the virus.IMPORTANCE The replication of alphaviruses is determined by specific sets of cellular proteins, which mediate the assembly of viral replication complexes. Some of these critical host factors interact with the hypervariable domain (HVD) of alphavirus nsP3. In this study, we have explored binding sites of host proteins, which are specific partners of nsP3 HVD of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. We also define the roles of these interactions in viral replication both in vitro and in vivo A mechanistic understanding of the binding of CD2AP, SH3KBP1, and FXR protein family members to VEEV HVD uncovers important aspects of alphavirus evolution and determines new targets for the development of alphavirus-specific drugs and directions for viral attenuation and vaccine development.
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Schnierle BS. A New Host Factor Essential for Chikungunya Virus. Trends Microbiol 2019; 28:2-4. [PMID: 31780232 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
FHL1 has been identified as a host protein that is essential for chikungunya virus (CHIKV) replication. FHL1 interacts with the chikungunya non-structural protein 3, which is thought to recruit cellular proteins to the viral replication complex. Inhibition of this interaction is a promising target for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara S Schnierle
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strass 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany.
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Rodriguez AK, Muñoz AL, Segura NA, Rangel HR, Bello F. Molecular characteristics and replication mechanism of dengue, zika and chikungunya arboviruses, and their treatments with natural extracts from plants: An updated review. EXCLI JOURNAL 2019; 18:988-1006. [PMID: 31762724 PMCID: PMC6868920 DOI: 10.17179/excli2019-1825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Viruses transmitted by arthropods (arboviruses) are the etiological agents of several human diseases with worldwide distribution; including dengue (DENV), zika (ZIKV), yellow fever (YFV), and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses. These viruses are especially important in tropical and subtropical regions; where, ZIKV and CHIKV are involved in epidemics worldwide, while the DENV remains as the biggest problem in public health. Factors, such as, environmental conditions promote the distribution of vectors, deficiencies in health services, and lack of effective vaccines, guarantee the presence of these vector-borne diseases. Treatment against these viral diseases is only palliative since available therapies formulated lack to demonstrate specific antiviral activity and vaccine candidates fail to demonstrate enough effectiveness. The use of natural products, as therapeutic tools, is an ancestral practice in different cultures. According to WHO 80 % of the population of some countries from Africa and Asia depend on the use of traditional medicines to deal with some diseases. Molecular characteristics of these viruses are important in determining its cellular pathogenesis, emergence, and dispersion mechanisms, as well as for the development of new antivirals and vaccines to control strategies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the molecular structure and replication mechanisms of selected arboviruses, as well as their mechanism of entry into host cells, and a brief overview about the potential targets accessed to inhibit these viruses in vitro and a summary about their treatment with natural extracts from plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Luisa Muñoz
- Faculty of Science, Universidad Antonio Nariño (UAN), Bogotá, 110231, Colombia
| | - Nidya Alexandra Segura
- Faculty of Science, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia
| | - Héctor Rafael Rangel
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, 1204, Venezuela
| | - Felio Bello
- Faculty of Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Program of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá, 110131, Colombia
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Tey HJ, Ng CH. Computational analysis of functional SNPs in Alzheimer's disease-associated endocytosis genes. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7667. [PMID: 31592138 PMCID: PMC6776068 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background From genome wide association studies on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it has been shown that many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes of different pathways affect the disease risk. One of the pathways is endocytosis, and variants in these genes may affect their functions in amyloid precursor protein (APP) trafficking, amyloid-beta (Aβ) production as well as its clearance in the brain. This study uses computational methods to predict the effect of novel SNPs, including untranslated region (UTR) variants, splice site variants, synonymous SNPs (sSNPs) and non-synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) in three endocytosis genes associated with AD, namely PICALM, SYNJ1 and SH3KBP1. Materials and Methods All the variants’ information was retrieved from the Ensembl genome database, and then different variation prediction analyses were performed. UTRScan was used to predict UTR variants while MaxEntScan was used to predict splice site variants. Meta-analysis by PredictSNP2 was used to predict sSNPs. Parallel prediction analyses by five different software packages including SIFT, PolyPhen-2, Mutation Assessor, I-Mutant2.0 and SNPs&GO were used to predict the effects of nsSNPs. The level of evolutionary conservation of deleterious nsSNPs was further analyzed using ConSurf server. Mutant protein structures of deleterious nsSNPs were modelled and refined using SPARKS-X and ModRefiner for structural comparison. Results A total of 56 deleterious variants were identified in this study, including 12 UTR variants, 18 splice site variants, eight sSNPs and 18 nsSNPs. Among these 56 deleterious variants, seven variants were also identified in the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP), Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and Mount Sinai Brain Bank (MSBB) studies. Discussion The 56 deleterious variants were predicted to affect the regulation of gene expression, or have functional impacts on these three endocytosis genes and their gene products. The deleterious variants in these genes are expected to affect their cellular function in endocytosis and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of AD as well. The biological consequences of these deleterious variants and their potential impacts on the disease risks could be further validated experimentally and may be useful for gene-disease association study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Jieh Tey
- Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Multimedia University, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia
| | - Chong Han Ng
- Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Multimedia University, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia
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FHL1 is a major host factor for chikungunya virus infection. Nature 2019; 574:259-263. [PMID: 31554973 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1578-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging alphavirus that is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites and causes musculoskeletal and joint pain1,2. Despite intensive investigations, the human cellular factors that are critical for CHIKV infection remain unknown, hampering the understanding of viral pathogenesis and the development of anti-CHIKV therapies. Here we identified the four-and-a-half LIM domain protein 1 (FHL1)3 as a host factor that is required for CHIKV permissiveness and pathogenesis in humans and mice. Ablation of FHL1 expression results in the inhibition of infection by several CHIKV strains and o'nyong-nyong virus, but not by other alphaviruses and flaviviruses. Conversely, expression of FHL1 promotes CHIKV infection in cells that do not normally express it. FHL1 interacts directly with the hypervariable domain of the nsP3 protein of CHIKV and is essential for the replication of viral RNA. FHL1 is highly expressed in CHIKV-target cells and is particularly abundant in muscles3,4. Dermal fibroblasts and muscle cells derived from patients with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy that lack functional FHL15 are resistant to CHIKV infection. Furthermore, CHIKV infection is undetectable in Fhl1-knockout mice. Overall, this study shows that FHL1 is a key factor expressed by the host that enables CHIKV infection and identifies the interaction between nsP3 and FHL1 as a promising target for the development of anti-CHIKV therapies.
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Agback P, Dominguez F, Pustovalova Y, Lukash T, Shiliaev N, Orekhov VY, Frolov I, Agback T, Frolova EI. Structural characterization and biological function of bivalent binding of CD2AP to intrinsically disordered domain of chikungunya virus nsP3 protein. Virology 2019; 537:130-142. [PMID: 31493651 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Alphavirus nsP3 proteins contain long, intrinsically disordered, hypervariable domains, HVD, which serve as hubs for interaction with many cellular proteins. Here, we have deciphered the mechanism and function of HVD interaction with host factors in alphavirus replication. Using NMR spectroscopy, we show that CHIKV HVD contains two SH3 domain-binding sites. Using an innovative chemical shift perturbation signature approach, we demonstrate that CD2AP interaction with HVD is mediated by its SH3-A and SH3-C domains, and this leaves the SH3-B domain available for interaction with other cellular factor(s). This cooperative interaction with two SH3 domains increases binding affinity to CD2AP and possibly induces long-range allosteric effects in HVD. Our data demonstrate that BIN1, CD2AP and SH3KBP1 play redundant roles in initiation of CHIKV replication. Point mutations in both CHIKV HVD binding sites abolish its interaction with all three proteins, CD2AP, BIN1 and SH3KBP1. This results in strong inhibition of viral replication initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Agback
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | | | - Yulia Pustovalova
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tetyana Lukash
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nikita Shiliaev
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Vladislav Yu Orekhov
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ilya Frolov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Tatiana Agback
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elena I Frolova
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Meshram CD, Agback P, Shiliaev N, Urakova N, Mobley JA, Agback T, Frolova EI, Frolov I. Multiple Host Factors Interact with the Hypervariable Domain of Chikungunya Virus nsP3 and Determine Viral Replication in Cell-Specific Mode. J Virol 2018; 92:e00838-18. [PMID: 29899097 PMCID: PMC6069204 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00838-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are widely distributed in both hemispheres and circulate between mosquitoes and amplifying vertebrate hosts. Geographically separated alphaviruses have adapted to replication in particular organisms. The accumulating data suggest that this adaptation is determined not only by changes in their glycoproteins but also by the amino acid sequence of the hypervariable domain (HVD) of the alphavirus nsP3 protein. We performed a detailed investigation of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) nsP3 HVD interactions with host factors and their roles in viral replication in vertebrate and mosquito cells. The results demonstrate that CHIKV HVD is intrinsically disordered and binds several distinctive cellular proteins. These host factors include two members of the G3BP family and their mosquito homolog Rin, two members of the NAP1 family, and several SH3 domain-containing proteins. Interaction with G3BP proteins or Rin is an absolute requirement for CHIKV replication, although it is insufficient to solely drive it in either vertebrate or mosquito cells. To achieve a detectable level of virus replication, HVD needs to bind members of at least one more protein family in addition to G3BPs. Interaction with NAP1L1 and NAP1L4 plays a more proviral role in vertebrate cells, while binding of SH3 domain-containing proteins to a proline-rich fragment of HVD is more critical for virus replication in the cells of mosquito origin. Modifications of binding sites in CHIKV HVD allow manipulation of the cell specificity of CHIKV replication. Similar changes may be introduced into HVDs of other alphaviruses to alter their replication in particular cells or tissues.IMPORTANCE Alphaviruses utilize a broad spectrum of cellular factors for efficient formation and function of replication complexes (RCs). Our data demonstrate for the first time that the hypervariable domain (HVD) of chikungunya virus nonstructural protein 3 (nsP3) is intrinsically disordered. It binds at least 3 families of cellular proteins, which play an indispensable role in viral RNA replication. The proteins of each family demonstrate functional redundancy. We provide a detailed map of the binding sites on CHIKV nsP3 HVD and show that mutations in these sites or the replacement of CHIKV HVD by heterologous HVD change cell specificity of viral replication. Such manipulations with alphavirus HVDs open an opportunity for development of new irreversibly attenuated vaccine candidates. To date, the disordered protein fragments have been identified in the nonstructural proteins of many other viruses. They may also interact with a variety of cellular factors that determine critical aspects of virus-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chetan D Meshram
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Peter Agback
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nikita Shiliaev
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Nadya Urakova
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - James A Mobley
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Elena I Frolova
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Ilya Frolov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was discovered more than six decades ago, but has remained poorly investigated. However, after a recent outbreak of CHIK fever in both hemispheres and viral adaptation to new species of mosquitoes, it has attracted a lot of attention. The currently available experimental data suggest that molecular mechanisms of CHIKV replication in vertebrate and mosquito cells are similar to those of other New and Old World alphaviruses. However, this virus exhibits a number of unique characteristics that distinguish it from the other, better studied members of the alphavirus genus. This review is an attempt to summarize the data accumulated thus far regarding the molecular mechanisms of alphavirus RNA replication and interaction with host cells. Emphasis was placed on demonstrating the distinct features of CHIKV in utilizing host factors to build replication complexes and modify the intracellular environment for efficient viral replication and inhibition of the innate immune response. The available data suggest that our knowledge about alphavirus replication contains numerous gaps that potentially hamper the development of new therapeutic means against CHIKV and other pathogenic alphaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Frolov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave South, BBRB373/Box 3, 35294-2170, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - E I Frolova
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave South, BBRB373/Box 3, 35294-2170, Birmingham, AL, USA
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