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Nature Communications Oct 2022Enteroviruses are non-enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses that cause diverse diseases in humans. Their rapid multiplication depends on remodeling of cytoplasmic...
Enteroviruses are non-enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses that cause diverse diseases in humans. Their rapid multiplication depends on remodeling of cytoplasmic membranes for viral genome replication. It is unknown how virions assemble around these newly synthesized genomes and how they are then loaded into autophagic membranes for release through secretory autophagy. Here, we use cryo-electron tomography of infected cells to show that poliovirus assembles directly on replication membranes. Pharmacological untethering of capsids from membranes abrogates RNA encapsidation. Our data directly visualize a membrane-bound half-capsid as a prominent virion assembly intermediate. Assembly progression past this intermediate depends on the class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase VPS34, a key host-cell autophagy factor. On the other hand, the canonical autophagy initiator ULK1 is shown to restrict virion production since its inhibition leads to increased accumulation of virions in vast intracellular arrays, followed by an increased vesicular release at later time points. Finally, we identify multiple layers of selectivity in virus-induced autophagy, with a strong selection for RNA-loaded virions over empty capsids and the segregation of virions from other types of autophagosome contents. These findings provide an integrated structural framework for multiple stages of the poliovirus life cycle.
Topics: Autophagy; Capsid; Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Enterovirus Infections; Humans; Poliovirus; RNA; Virion; Virus Assembly
PubMed: 36216808
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33483-7 -
Viruses Jan 2021Within the family of , foamy viruses (FVs) are unique and unconventional with respect to many aspects in their molecular biology, including assembly and release of... (Review)
Review
Within the family of , foamy viruses (FVs) are unique and unconventional with respect to many aspects in their molecular biology, including assembly and release of enveloped viral particles. Both components of the minimal assembly and release machinery, Gag and Env, display significant differences in their molecular structures and functions compared to the other retroviruses. This led to the placement of FVs into a separate subfamily, the . Here, we describe the molecular differences in FV Gag and Env, as well as Pol, which is translated as a separate protein and not in an orthoretroviral manner as a Gag-Pol fusion protein. This feature further complicates FV assembly since a specialized Pol encapsidation strategy via a tripartite Gag-genome-Pol complex is used. We try to relate the different features and specific interaction patterns of the FV Gag, Pol, and Env proteins in order to develop a comprehensive and dynamic picture of particle assembly and release, but also other features that are indirectly affected. Since FVs are at the root of the retrovirus tree, we aim at dissecting the unique/specialized features from those shared among the and Such analyses may shed light on the evolution and characteristics of virus envelopment since related viruses within the , for instance LTR retrotransposons, are characterized by different levels of envelopment, thus affecting the capacity for intercellular transmission.
Topics: Capsid; Genome, Viral; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Retroviridae Infections; Spumavirus; Viral Proteins; Virus Assembly; Virus Physiological Phenomena; Virus Release; Virus Replication
PubMed: 33451128
DOI: 10.3390/v13010105 -
MBio Apr 2024A member of the Retroviridae, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), uses the RNA genome packaged into nascent virions to transfer genetic information to its... (Review)
Review
A member of the Retroviridae, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), uses the RNA genome packaged into nascent virions to transfer genetic information to its progeny. The genome packaging step is a highly regulated and extremely efficient process as a vast majority of virus particles contain two copies of full-length unspliced HIV-1 RNA that form a dimer. Thus, during virus assembly HIV-1 can identify and selectively encapsidate HIV-1 unspliced RNA from an abundant pool of cellular RNAs and various spliced HIV-1 RNAs. Several "" features facilitate the packaging of a dimeric RNA genome. The viral polyprotein ag orchestrates virus assembly and mediates RNA genome packaging. During this process, Gag preferentially binds unpaired uanosines within the highly structured 5' untranslated region (UTR) of HIV-1 RNA. In addition, the HIV-1 unspliced RNA provides a scaffold that promotes Gag:Gag interactions and virus assembly, thereby ensuring its packaging. Intriguingly, recent studies have shown that the use of different uanosines at the junction of U3 and R as transcription start sites results in HIV-1 unspliced RNA species with 99.9% identical sequences but dramatically distinct 5' UTR conformations. Consequently, one species of unspliced RNA is preferentially packaged over other nearly identical RNAs. These studies reveal how conformations affect the functions of HIV-1 RNA elements and the complex regulation of HIV-1 replication. In this review, we summarize - and -acting elements critical for HIV-1 RNA packaging, locations of Gag:RNA interactions that mediate genome encapsidation, and the effects of transcription start sites on the structure and packaging of HIV-1 RNA.
Topics: Humans; HIV-1; RNA, Viral; Virus Assembly; Genome, Viral
PubMed: 38411060
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00861-23 -
PLoS Pathogens Oct 2020HBV is an enveloped DNA virus that replicates its DNA genome via reverse transcription of a pregenomic (pg) RNA intermediate in hepatocytes. Interestingly, HBV RNA can...
HBV is an enveloped DNA virus that replicates its DNA genome via reverse transcription of a pregenomic (pg) RNA intermediate in hepatocytes. Interestingly, HBV RNA can be detected in virus-like particles in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patient serum and has been utilized as a biomarker for intrahepatic cccDNA activity in treated patients. However, the biogenesis and molecular characteristics of serum HBV RNA remain to be fully defined. In this study, we found that the encapsidated serum HBV RNA predominately consists of pgRNA, which are detergent- and ribonuclease-resistant. Through blocking HBV DNA replication without affecting pgRNA encapsidation by using the priming-defective HBV mutant Y63D or 3TC treatment, we demonstrated that the cell culture supernatant contains a large amount of pgRNA-containing nonenveloped capsids and a minor population of pgRNA-containing virions. The formation of pgRNA-virion requires both capsid assembly and viral envelope proteins, which can be inhibited by capsid assembly modulators and an envelope-knockout mutant, respectively. Furthermore, the pgRNA-virion utilizes the multivesicular body pathway for egress, in a similar way as DNA-virion morphogenesis. Northern blotting, RT-PCR, and 3' RACE assays revealed that serum/supernatant HBV pgRNA are mainly spliced and devoid of the 3'-terminal sequences. Furthermore, pgRNA-virion collected from cells treated with a reversible HBV priming inhibitor L-FMAU was unable to establish infection in HepG2-NTCP cells. In summary, serum HBV RNA is secreted in noninfectious virion-like particle as spliced and poly(A)-free pgRNA. Our study will shed light on the molecular biology of serum HBV RNA in HBV life cycle, and aid the development of serum HBV RNA as a novel biomarker for CHB diagnosis and treatment prognosis.
Topics: Capsid; Capsid Proteins; DNA, Viral; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatocytes; Humans; RNA, Viral; Reverse Transcription; Virus Assembly; Virus Replication
PubMed: 33079954
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008945 -
Viruses Aug 2019RNA viruses represent a large and important group of pathogens that infect a broad range of hosts. Segmented RNA viruses are a subclass of this group that encode their... (Review)
Review
RNA viruses represent a large and important group of pathogens that infect a broad range of hosts. Segmented RNA viruses are a subclass of this group that encode their genomes in two or more molecules and package all of their RNA segments in a single virus particle. These divided genomes come in different forms, including double-stranded RNA, coding-sense single-stranded RNA, and noncoding single-stranded RNA. Genera that possess these genome types include, respectively, (e.g., Bluetongue virus), (e.g., Red clover necrotic mosaic virus) and (e.g., Influenza A virus). Despite their distinct genomic features and diverse host ranges (i.e., animals, plants, and humans, respectively) each of these viruses uses -acting RNA-RNA interactions (tRRIs) to facilitate co-packaging of their segmented genome. The tRRIs occur between different viral genome segments and direct the selective packaging of a complete genome complement. Here we explore the current state of understanding of tRRI-mediated co-packaging in the abovementioned viruses and examine other known and potential functions for this class of RNA-RNA interaction.
Topics: Animals; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Humans; RNA Viruses; RNA, Viral; Transcriptional Activation; Virus Assembly; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 31416187
DOI: 10.3390/v11080751 -
Viruses Sep 2020Nearly all retroviruses selectively package two copies of their unspliced RNA genomes from a cellular milieu that contains a substantial excess of non-viral and spliced... (Review)
Review
Nearly all retroviruses selectively package two copies of their unspliced RNA genomes from a cellular milieu that contains a substantial excess of non-viral and spliced viral RNAs. Over the past four decades, combinations of genetic experiments, phylogenetic analyses, nucleotide accessibility mapping, in silico RNA structure predictions, and biophysical experiments were employed to understand how retroviral genomes are selected for packaging. Genetic studies provided early clues regarding the protein and RNA elements required for packaging, and nucleotide accessibility mapping experiments provided insights into the secondary structures of functionally important elements in the genome. Three-dimensional structural determinants of packaging were primarily derived by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A key advantage of NMR, relative to other methods for determining biomolecular structure (such as X-ray crystallography), is that it is well suited for studies of conformationally dynamic and heterogeneous systems-a hallmark of the retrovirus packaging machinery. Here, we review advances in understanding of the structures, dynamics, and interactions of the proteins and RNA elements involved in retroviral genome selection and packaging that are facilitated by NMR.
Topics: Base Sequence; Genome, Viral; HIV-1; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Phylogeny; Protein Structure, Secondary; RNA, Viral; Retroviridae; Viral Genome Packaging; Virus Assembly
PubMed: 33008123
DOI: 10.3390/v12101115 -
Current Issues in Molecular Biology 2021Alphaherpesvirus tegument assembly, secondary envelopment, and exocytosis processes are understood in broad strokes, but many of the individual steps in this pathway,...
Alphaherpesvirus tegument assembly, secondary envelopment, and exocytosis processes are understood in broad strokes, but many of the individual steps in this pathway, and their molecular and cell biological details, remain unclear. Viral tegument and membrane proteins form an extensive and robust protein interaction network, such that essentially any structural protein can be deleted, yet particles are still assembled, enveloped, and released from infected cells. We conceptually divide the tegument proteins into three groups: conserved inner and outer teguments that participate in nucleocapsid and membrane contacts, respectively; and 'middle' tegument proteins, consisting of some of the most abundant tegument proteins that serve as central hubs in the protein interaction network, yet which are unique to the alphaherpesviruses. We then discuss secondary envelopment, reviewing the tegument-membrane contacts and cellular factors that drive this process. We place this viral process in the context of cell biological processes, including the endocytic pathway, ESCRT machinery, autophagy, secretory pathway, intracellular transport, and exocytosis mechanisms. Finally, we speculate about potential relationships between cellular defenses against oligomerizing or aggregating membrane proteins and the envelopment and egress of viruses.
Topics: Alphaherpesvirinae; Autophagy; Biological Transport; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport; Exocytosis; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Virus Assembly; Virus Physiological Phenomena; Virus Release
PubMed: 33622984
DOI: 10.21775/cimb.042.551 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2020Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 and its associated pathology, COVID-19, have been of particular concerns these last months due to the... (Review)
Review
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 and its associated pathology, COVID-19, have been of particular concerns these last months due to the worldwide burden they represent. The number of cases requiring intensive care being the critical point in this epidemic, a better understanding of the pathophysiology leading to these severe cases is urgently needed. Tissue lesions can be caused by the pathogen or can be driven by an overwhelmed immune response. Focusing on SARS-CoV-2, we and others have observed that this virus can trigger indeed an immune response that can be dysregulated in severe patients and leading to further injury to multiple organs. The purpose of the review is to bring to light the current knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 virologic and immunologic features. Thus, we address virus biology, life cycle, tropism for many organs and how ultimately it will affect several host biological and physiological functions, notably the immune response. Given that therapeutic avenues are now highly warranted, we also discuss the immunotherapies available to manage the infection and the clinical outcomes.
Topics: Age Factors; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Coronavirus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; Cytokines; Humans; Immunotherapy; Lung; Pandemics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Pneumonia, Viral; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; SARS-CoV-2; Viral Nonstructural Proteins; Viral Tropism; Virus Assembly; Virus Replication
PubMed: 32824753
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165932 -
MBio Aug 2020Enveloped viruses hijack cellular membranes in order to provide the necessary material for virion assembly. In particular, viruses that replicate and assemble inside the...
Enveloped viruses hijack cellular membranes in order to provide the necessary material for virion assembly. In particular, viruses that replicate and assemble inside the nucleus have developed special approaches to modify the nuclear landscape for their advantage. We used electron microscopy to investigate cellular changes occurring during nudivirus infection and we characterized a unique mechanism for assembly, packaging, and transport of new virions across the nuclear membrane and through the cytoplasm. Our three-dimensional reconstructions describe the complex remodeling of the nuclear membrane necessary to release vesicle-associated viruses into the cytoplasm. This is the first report of nuclear morphological reconfigurations that occur during nudiviral infection. The dynamics of nuclear envelope has a critical role in multiple cellular processes. However, little is known regarding the structural changes occurring inside the nucleus or at the inner and outer nuclear membranes. For viruses assembling inside the nucleus, remodeling of the intranuclear membrane plays an important role in the process of virion assembly. Here, we monitored the changes associated with viral infection in the case of nudiviruses. Our data revealed dramatic membrane remodeling inside the nuclear compartment during infection with , an important biocontrol agent against coconut rhinoceros beetle, a devastating pest for coconut and oil palm trees. Based on these findings, we propose a model for nudivirus assembly in which nuclear packaging occurs in fully enveloped virions.
Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Nucleus; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Insecta; Nuclear Envelope; Nudiviridae; Virus Assembly; Virus Release
PubMed: 32788378
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01333-20 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jul 2023Retrotransposons and retroviruses shape genome evolution and can negatively impact genome function. and its close relatives harbor several families of...
Retrotransposons and retroviruses shape genome evolution and can negatively impact genome function. and its close relatives harbor several families of LTR-retrotransposons, the most abundant being Ty1 in several laboratory strains. The cytosolic foci that nucleate Ty1 virus-like particle (VLP) assembly are not well understood. These foci, termed retrosomes or T-bodies, contain Ty1 Gag and likely Gag-Pol and the Ty1 mRNA destined for reverse transcription. Here, we report an intrinsically disordered N-terminal ion-ike omain (PrLD) within Gag that is required for transposition. This domain contains amino acid composition similar to known yeast prions and is sufficient to nucleate prionogenesis in an established cell-based prion reporter system. Deleting the Ty1 PrLD results in dramatic VLP assembly and retrotransposition defects but does not affect Gag protein level. Ty1 Gag chimeras in which the PrLD is replaced with other sequences, including yeast and mammalian prionogenic domains, display a range of retrotransposition phenotypes from wild type to null. We examine these chimeras throughout the Ty1 replication cycle and find that some support retrosome formation, VLP assembly, and retrotransposition, including the yeast Sup35 prion and the mouse PrP prion. Our interchangeable Ty1 system provides a useful, genetically tractable in vivo platform for studying PrLDs, complete with a suite of robust and sensitive assays. Our work also invites study into the prevalence of PrLDs in additional mobile elements.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Retroelements; RNA, Messenger; Gene Products, gag; Virus Assembly; Mammals
PubMed: 37459521
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303358120