Identification of critical amino acids within the nucleoprotein of Tacaribe virus important for anti-interferon activity.

The arenavirus nucleoprotein (NP) can suppress induction of type I interferon (IFN). This anti-IFN activity is thought to be shared by all arenaviruses with the exception of Tacaribe virus (TCRV). To identify the TCRV NP amino acid residues that prevent its IFN-countering ability, we created a series of NP chimeras between residues of TCRV NP and Pichinde virus (PICV) NP, an arenavirus NP with potent anti-IFN function. Chimera NP analysis revealed that a minimal four amino acid stretch derived from PICV NP could impart efficient anti-IFN activity to TCRV NP. Strikingly, the TCRV NP gene cloned and sequenced from viral stocks obtained through National Institutes of Health Biodefense and Emerging Infections (BEI) resources deviated from the reference sequence at this particular four-amino acid region, GPPT (GenBank KC329849) versus DLQL (GenBank NC004293), respectively at residues 389-392. When efficiently expressed in cells through codon-optimization, TCRV NP containing the GPPT residues rescued the antagonistic IFN function. Consistent with cell expression results, TCRV infection did not stimulate an IFNß response early in infection in multiple cells types (e.g. A549, P388D1), and IRF-3 was not translocated to the nucleus in TCRV-infected A549 cells. Collectively, these data suggest that certain TCRV strain variants contain the important NP amino acids necessary for anti-IFN activity.

Rift Valley fever virus strain MP-12 enters mammalian host cells via caveola-mediated endocytosis.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic pathogen capable of causing serious morbidity and mortality in both humans and livestock. The lack of efficient countermeasure strategies, the potential for dispersion into new regions, and the pathogenesis in humans and livestock make RVFV a serious public health concern. The receptors, cellular factors, and entry pathways used by RVFV and other members of the family Bunyaviridae remain largely uncharacterized. Here we provide evidence that RVFV strain MP-12 uses dynamin-dependent caveola-mediated endocytosis for cell entry. Caveolae are lipid raft domains composed of caveolin (the main structural component), cholesterol, and sphingolipids. Caveola-mediated endocytosis is responsible for the uptake of a wide variety of host ligands, as well as bacteria, bacterial toxins, and a number of viruses. To determine the cellular entry mechanism of RVFV, we used small-molecule inhibitors, RNA interference (RNAi), and dominant negative (DN) protein expression to inhibit the major mammalian cell endocytic pathways. Inhibitors and RNAi specific for macropinocytosis and clathrin-mediated endocytosis had no effect on RVFV infection. In contrast, inhibitors of caveola-mediated endocytosis, and RNAi targeted to caveolin-1 and dynamin, drastically reduced RVFV infection in multiple cell lines. Expression of DN caveolin-1 also reduced RVFV infection significantly, while expression of DN EPS15, a protein required for the assembly of clathrin-coated pits, and DN PAK-1, an obligate mediator of macropinocytosis, had no significant impact on RVFV infection. These results together suggest that the primary mechanism of RVFV MP-12 uptake is dynamin-dependent, caveolin-1-mediated endocytosis.

Structure of endoglucanase Cel9A from the thermoacidophilic Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.

The production of biofuels using biomass is an alternative route to support the growing global demand for energy and to also reduce the environmental problems caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Cellulases are likely to play an important role in the degradation of biomass and the production of sugars for subsequent fermentation to fuel. Here, the crystal structure of an endoglucanase, Cel9A, from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius (Aa_Cel9A) is reported which displays a modular architecture composed of an N-terminal Ig-like domain connected to the catalytic domain. This paper describes the overall structure and the detailed contacts between the two modules. Analysis suggests that the interaction involving the residues Gln13 (from the Ig-like module) and Phe439 (from the catalytic module) is important in maintaining the correct conformation of the catalytic module required for protein activity. Moreover, the Aa_Cel9A structure shows three metal-binding sites that are associated with the thermostability and/or substrate affinity of the enzyme.