Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle

The Arenaviridae family includes widely distributed pathogens that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Replication and packaging of their single-stranded RNA genome involve RNA recognition by viral proteins and a number of key protein-protein interactions. Viral RNA synthesis is directed by th...

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Main Authors: Nora López, Maria Eugenia Loureiro, Jesica M. Levingston Macleod, Alejandra D’Antuono
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2012-09-01
Series:Viruses
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/4/9/1651
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author Nora López
Maria Eugenia Loureiro
Jesica M. Levingston Macleod
Alejandra D’Antuono
author_facet Nora López
Maria Eugenia Loureiro
Jesica M. Levingston Macleod
Alejandra D’Antuono
author_sort Nora López
collection DOAJ
description The Arenaviridae family includes widely distributed pathogens that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Replication and packaging of their single-stranded RNA genome involve RNA recognition by viral proteins and a number of key protein-protein interactions. Viral RNA synthesis is directed by the virus-encoded RNA dependent-RNA polymerase (L protein) and requires viral RNA encapsidation by the Nucleoprotein. In addition to the role that the interaction between L and the Nucleoprotein may have in the replication process, polymerase activity appears to be modulated by the association between L and the small multifunctional Z protein. Z is also a structural component of the virions that plays an essential role in viral morphogenesis. Indeed, interaction of the Z protein with the Nucleoprotein is critical for genome packaging. Furthermore, current evidence suggests that binding between Z and the viral envelope glycoprotein complex is required for virion infectivity, and that Z homo-oligomerization is an essential step for particle assembly and budding. Efforts to understand the molecular basis of arenavirus life cycle have revealed important details on these viral protein-protein interactions that will be reviewed in this article.
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spelling doaj.art-19be371050624cbb81ea8840cdaf02ca2022-12-22T01:28:02ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152012-09-01491651166710.3390/v4091651Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life CycleNora LópezMaria Eugenia LoureiroJesica M. Levingston MacleodAlejandra D’AntuonoThe Arenaviridae family includes widely distributed pathogens that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Replication and packaging of their single-stranded RNA genome involve RNA recognition by viral proteins and a number of key protein-protein interactions. Viral RNA synthesis is directed by the virus-encoded RNA dependent-RNA polymerase (L protein) and requires viral RNA encapsidation by the Nucleoprotein. In addition to the role that the interaction between L and the Nucleoprotein may have in the replication process, polymerase activity appears to be modulated by the association between L and the small multifunctional Z protein. Z is also a structural component of the virions that plays an essential role in viral morphogenesis. Indeed, interaction of the Z protein with the Nucleoprotein is critical for genome packaging. Furthermore, current evidence suggests that binding between Z and the viral envelope glycoprotein complex is required for virion infectivity, and that Z homo-oligomerization is an essential step for particle assembly and budding. Efforts to understand the molecular basis of arenavirus life cycle have revealed important details on these viral protein-protein interactions that will be reviewed in this article.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/4/9/1651Tacaribe virusprotein-protein interactionviral RNA synthesis, virus assembly
spellingShingle Nora López
Maria Eugenia Loureiro
Jesica M. Levingston Macleod
Alejandra D’Antuono
Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle
Viruses
Tacaribe virus
protein-protein interaction
viral RNA synthesis, virus assembly
title Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle
title_full Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle
title_fullStr Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle
title_full_unstemmed Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle
title_short Uncovering Viral Protein-Protein Interactions and their Role in Arenavirus Life Cycle
title_sort uncovering viral protein protein interactions and their role in arenavirus life cycle
topic Tacaribe virus
protein-protein interaction
viral RNA synthesis, virus assembly
url http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/4/9/1651
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AT jesicamlevingstonmacleod uncoveringviralproteinproteininteractionsandtheirroleinarenaviruslifecycle
AT alejandradantuono uncoveringviralproteinproteininteractionsandtheirroleinarenaviruslifecycle