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Viruses Jul 2022Viral assembly and budding are the final steps and key determinants of the virus life cycle and are regulated by virus-host interaction. Several viruses are known to use...
Viral assembly and budding are the final steps and key determinants of the virus life cycle and are regulated by virus-host interaction. Several viruses are known to use their late assembly (L) domains to hijack host machinery and cellular adaptors to be used for the requirement of virus replication. The L domains are highly conserved short sequences whose mutation or deletion may lead to the accumulation of immature virions at the plasma membrane. The L domains were firstly identified within retroviral Gag polyprotein and later detected in structural proteins of many other enveloped RNA viruses. Here, we used HIV-1 as an example to describe how the HIV-1 virus hijacks ESCRT membrane fission machinery to facilitate virion assembly and release. We also introduce galectin-3, a chimera type of the galectin family that is up-regulated by HIV-1 during infection and further used to promote HIV-1 assembly and budding via the stabilization of Alix-Gag interaction. It is worth further dissecting the details and finetuning the regulatory mechanism, as well as identifying novel candidates involved in this final step of replication cycle.
Topics: Calcium-Binding Proteins; Cell Cycle Proteins; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport; HIV-1; Virus Assembly; Virus Release; gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
PubMed: 35891508
DOI: 10.3390/v14071528 -
Current Opinion in Virology Jun 2021A central quest in gene therapy and vaccination is to achieve effective and long-lasting gene expression at minimal dosage. Adenovirus vectors are widely used... (Review)
Review
A central quest in gene therapy and vaccination is to achieve effective and long-lasting gene expression at minimal dosage. Adenovirus vectors are widely used therapeutics and safely deliver genes into many cell types. Adenoviruses evolved to use elaborate trafficking and particle deconstruction processes, and efficient gene expression and progeny formation. Here, we discuss recent insights into how human adenoviruses deliver their double-stranded DNA genome into cell nuclei, and effect lytic cell killing, non-lytic persistent infection or vector gene expression. The mechanisms underlying adenovirus entry, uncoating, nuclear transport and gene expression provide a blueprint for the emerging field of synthetic virology, where artificial virus-like particles are evolved to deliver therapeutic payload into human cells without viral proteins and genomes.
Topics: Adenoviridae; Adenoviruses, Human; Animals; Cell Nucleus; DNA; DNA, Viral; Endocytosis; Gene Expression; Gene Transfer Techniques; Genetic Therapy; Genetic Vectors; Genome, Viral; Genomic Instability; Humans; Virion; Virus Assembly; Virus Attachment; Virus Replication
PubMed: 33892224
DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.03.006 -
MBio Oct 2019The flavivirus virion consists of an envelope outer layer, formed by envelope (E) and membrane (M) proteins on a lipid bilayer, and an internal core, formed by capsid...
The flavivirus virion consists of an envelope outer layer, formed by envelope (E) and membrane (M) proteins on a lipid bilayer, and an internal core, formed by capsid (C) protein and genomic RNA. The molecular mechanism of flavivirus assembly is not well understood. Here, we show that Zika virus (ZIKV) NS2A protein recruits genomic RNA, the structural protein prM/E complex, and the NS2B/NS3 protease complex to the virion assembly site and orchestrates virus morphogenesis. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis showed that ZIKV NS2A binds to prM, E, NS2B, and NS3 (but not C, NS4B, or NS5) in a viral RNA-independent manner, whereas prM/E complex does not interact with NS2B/NS3 complex. Remarkably, a single-amino-acid mutation (E103A) of NS2A impairs its binding to prM/E and NS2B/NS3 and abolishes virus production, demonstrating the indispensable role of NS2A/prM/E and NS2A/NS2B/NS3 interactions in virion assembly. In addition, RNA-protein pulldown analysis identified a stem-loop RNA from the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the viral genome as an "RNA recruitment signal" for ZIKV assembly. The 3' UTR RNA binds to a cytoplasmic loop of NS2A protein. Mutations of two positively charged residues (R96A and R102A) from the cytoplasmic loop reduce NS2A binding to viral RNA, leading to a complete loss of virion assembly. Collectively, our results support a virion assembly model in which NS2A recruits viral NS2B/NS3 protease and structural C-prM-E polyprotein to the virion assembly site; once the C-prM-E polyprotein has been processed, NS2A presents viral RNA to the structural proteins for virion assembly. ZIKV is a recently emerged mosquito-borne flavivirus that can cause devastating congenital Zika syndrome in pregnant women and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. The molecular mechanism of ZIKV virion assembly is largely unknown. Here, we report that ZIKV NS2A plays a central role in recruiting viral RNA, structural protein prM/E, and viral NS2B/NS3 protease to the virion assembly site and orchestrating virion morphogenesis. One mutation that impairs these interactions does not significantly affect viral RNA replication but selectively abolishes virion assembly, demonstrating the specific role of these interactions in virus morphogenesis. We also show that the 3' UTR of ZIKV RNA may serve as a "recruitment signal" through binding to NS2A to enter the virion assembly site. Following a coordinated cleavage of C-prM-E at the virion assembly site, NS2A may present the viral RNA to C protein for nucleocapsid formation followed by envelopment with prM/E proteins. The results have provided new insights into flavivirus virion assembly.
Topics: Female; Flavivirus; Genome, Viral; Humans; Mutation; Nucleocapsid; Peptide Hydrolases; Pregnancy; RNA, Viral; Serine Endopeptidases; Viral Envelope Proteins; Viral Nonstructural Proteins; Viral Proteins; Virus Assembly; Virus Replication; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection
PubMed: 31662457
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02375-19 -
Viruses Dec 2021Understanding the molecular mechanisms of retroviral assembly has been a decades-long endeavor. With the recent discovery of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) acting as an... (Review)
Review
Understanding the molecular mechanisms of retroviral assembly has been a decades-long endeavor. With the recent discovery of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) acting as an assembly co-factor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), great strides have been made in retroviral research. In this review, the enzymatic pathways to synthesize and metabolize inositol phosphates (IPs) relevant to retroviral assembly are discussed. The functions of these enzymes and IPs are outlined in the context of the cellular biology important for retroviruses. Lastly, the recent advances in understanding the role of IPs in retroviral biology are surveyed.
Topics: Biosynthetic Pathways; HIV Infections; Humans; Inositol Phosphates; Phytic Acid; Retroviridae; Virion; Virus Assembly; gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
PubMed: 34960784
DOI: 10.3390/v13122516 -
Microbiology and Molecular Biology... Sep 2022Negative-sense RNA virus populations are composed of diverse viral components that interact to form a community and shape the outcome of virus infections. At the genomic... (Review)
Review
Negative-sense RNA virus populations are composed of diverse viral components that interact to form a community and shape the outcome of virus infections. At the genomic level, RNA virus populations consist not only of a homogeneous population of standard viral genomes but also of an extremely large number of genome variants, termed viral quasispecies, and nonstandard viral genomes, which include copy-back viral genomes, deletion viral genomes, mini viral RNAs, and hypermutated RNAs. At the particle level, RNA virus populations are composed of pleomorphic particles, particles missing or having additional genomes, and single particles or particle aggregates. As we continue discovering more about the components of negative-sense RNA virus populations and their crucial functions during virus infection, it will become more important to study RNA virus populations as a whole rather than their individual parts. In this review, we will discuss what is known about the components of negative-sense RNA virus communities, speculate how the components of the virus community interact, and summarize what vaccines and antiviral therapies are being currently developed to target or harness these components.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; Genome, Viral; Negative-Sense RNA Viruses; RNA Viruses; RNA, Viral; Virus Assembly
PubMed: 35658541
DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00086-21 -
ACS Nano Apr 2020Understanding viral assembly pathways is of critical importance to biology, medicine, and nanotechology. Here, we study the assembly path of a system with various...
Understanding viral assembly pathways is of critical importance to biology, medicine, and nanotechology. Here, we study the assembly path of a system with various structures, the simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40) polymorphs. We simulate the templated assembly process of VP1 pentamers, which are the constituents of SV40, into icosahedal shells made of = 12 pentamers ( = 1). The simulations include connections formed between pentamers by C-terminal flexible lateral units, termed here "C-terminal ligands", which are shown to control assembly behavior and shell dynamics. The model also incorporates electrostatic attractions between the N-terminal peptide strands (ligands) and the negatively charged cargo, allowing for agreement with experiments of RNA templated assembly at various pH and ionic conditions. During viral assembly, pentamers bound to any template increase its effective size due to the length and flexibility of the C-terminal ligands, which can connect to other VP1 pentamers and recruit them to a partially completed capsid. All closed shells formed other than the = 1 feature the ability to dynamically rearrange and are thus termed "pseudo-closed". The = 13 shell can even spontaneously "self-correct" by losing a pentamer and become a = 1 capsid when the template size fluctuates. Bound pentamers recruiting additional pentamers to dynamically rearranging capsids allow closed shells to continue growing the pseudo-closed growth mechanism, for which experimental evidence already exists. Overall, we show that the C-terminal ligands control the dynamic assembly paths of SV40 polymorphs.
Topics: Capsid; Capsid Proteins; Simian virus 40; Virus Assembly
PubMed: 32208635
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b10004 -
MBio Oct 2021In 2019, a new pandemic virus belonging to the betacoronavirus family emerged, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This new coronavirus...
In 2019, a new pandemic virus belonging to the betacoronavirus family emerged, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This new coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China, and is responsible for severe respiratory pneumonia in humans, namely, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Having infected almost 200 million people worldwide and caused more than 4.1 million deaths as of today, this new disease has raised a significant number of questions about its molecular mechanism of replication and, in particular, how infectious viral particles are produced. Although viral entry is well characterized, the full assembly steps of SARS-CoV-2 have still not been fully described. Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have four main structural proteins, namely, the spike glycoprotein (S), the membrane glycoprotein (M), the envelope protein (E), and the nucleocapsid protein (N). All these proteins have key roles in the process of coronavirus assembly and budding. In this review, we gathered the current knowledge about betacoronavirus structural proteins involved in viral particle assembly, membrane curvature and scission, and then egress in order to suggest and question a coherent model for SARS-CoV-2 particle production and release.
Topics: Betacoronavirus; Membrane Glycoproteins; Nucleocapsid Proteins; SARS-CoV-2; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; Virus Assembly
PubMed: 34579570
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02371-21 -
Current Opinion in Virology Dec 2020Viral structural proteins are emerging as effective targets for new antivirals. In a viral lifecycle, the capsid must assemble, disassemble, and respond to host... (Review)
Review
Viral structural proteins are emerging as effective targets for new antivirals. In a viral lifecycle, the capsid must assemble, disassemble, and respond to host proteins, all at the right time and place. These reactions work within a narrow range of conditions, making them susceptible to small molecule interference. In at least three specific viruses, this approach has had met with preliminary success. In rhinovirus and poliovirus, compounds like pleconaril bind capsid and block RNA release. Bevirimat binds to Gag protein in HIV, inhibiting maturation. In Hepatitis B virus, core protein allosteric modulators (CpAMs) promote spontaneous assembly of capsid protein leading to empty and aberrant particles. Despite the biological diversity between viruses and the chemical diversity between antiviral molecules, we observe common features in these antivirals' mechanisms of action. These approaches work by stabilizing protein-protein interactions.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; Capsid; Drug Discovery; Hepatitis B virus; Viral Structural Proteins; Virus Assembly; Virus Replication; Viruses
PubMed: 32777753
DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.07.001 -
Viruses Dec 2021The assembly of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and other herpesviruses includes both nuclear and cytoplasmic phases. During the prolonged replication cycle of HCMV, the... (Review)
Review
The assembly of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and other herpesviruses includes both nuclear and cytoplasmic phases. During the prolonged replication cycle of HCMV, the cell undergoes remarkable changes in cellular architecture that include marked increases in nuclear size and structure as well as the reorganization of membranes in cytoplasm. Similarly, significant changes occur in cellular metabolism, protein trafficking, and cellular homeostatic functions. These cellular modifications are considered integral in the efficient assembly of infectious progeny in productively infected cells. Nuclear egress of HCMV nucleocapsids is thought to follow a pathway similar to that proposed for other members of the herpesvirus family. During this process, viral nucleocapsids must overcome structural barriers in the nucleus that limit transit and, ultimately, their delivery to the cytoplasm for final assembly of progeny virions. HCMV, similar to other herpesviruses, encodes viral functions that co-opt cellular functions to overcome these barriers and to bridge the bilaminar nuclear membrane. In this brief review, we will highlight some of the mechanisms that define our current understanding of HCMV egress, relying heavily on the current understanding of egress of the more well-studied α-herpesviruses, HSV-1 and PRV.
Topics: Capsid; Cell Nucleus; Cytomegalovirus; Cytoplasm; DNA Replication; DNA, Viral; Humans; Nuclear Envelope; Nucleocapsid; Viral Genome Packaging; Virus Release; Virus Replication
PubMed: 35062219
DOI: 10.3390/v14010015 -
Viruses May 2023Gumboro illness is caused by the highly contagious immunosuppressive infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), which affects the poultry industry globally. We have...
Gumboro illness is caused by the highly contagious immunosuppressive infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), which affects the poultry industry globally. We have previously shown that IBDV hijacks the endocytic pathway to construct viral replication complexes on endosomes linked to the Golgi complex (GC). Then, analyzing crucial proteins involved in the secretory pathway, we showed the essential requirement of Rab1b, the Rab1b downstream effector Golgi-specific BFA resistance factor 1 (GBF1), and its substrate, the small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1), for IBDV replication. In the current work, we focused on elucidating the IBDV assembly sites. We show that viral assembly occurs within single-membrane compartments closely associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, though we failed to elucidate the exact nature of the virus-wrapping membranes. Additionally, we show that IBDV infection promotes the stress of the ER, characterized by an accumulation of the chaperone binding protein (BiP) and lipid droplets (LDs) in the host cells. Overall, our results represent further original data showing the interplay between IBDV and the secretory pathway, making a substantial contribution to the field of birnaviruses-host cell interactions.
Topics: Animals; Infectious bursal disease virus; Lipid Droplets; Virus Assembly; Endosomes; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Chickens; Poultry Diseases; Birnaviridae Infections
PubMed: 37376595
DOI: 10.3390/v15061295