scholarly journals NS5 from Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Can Adopt a Conformation Analogous to That of Its Zika Virus and Japanese Encephalitis Virus Homologues

2019 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbas El Sahili ◽  
Tingjin Sherryl Soh ◽  
Jonas Schiltz ◽  
Aïcha Gharbi-Ayachi ◽  
Cheah Chen Seh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Vaccine Design ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Virus Serotype ◽  
In Cells

ABSTRACT Flavivirus nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) contains an N-terminal methyltransferase (MTase) domain and a C-terminal polymerase (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase [RdRp]) domain fused through a 9-amino-acid linker. While the individual NS5 domains are structurally conserved, in the full-length protein, their relative orientations fall into two classes: the NS5 proteins from Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) adopt one conformation, while the NS5 protein from dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV3) adopts another. Here, we report a crystallographic structure of NS5 from DENV2 in a conformation similar to the extended one seen in JEV and ZIKV NS5 crystal structures. Replacement of the DENV2 NS5 linker with DENV1, DENV3, DENV4, JEV, and ZIKV NS5 linkers had modest or minimal effects on in vitro DENV2 MTase and RdRp activities. Heterotypic DENV NS5 linkers attenuated DENV2 replicon growth in cells, while the JEV and ZIKV NS5 linkers abolished replication. Thus, the JEV and ZIKV linkers likely hindered essential DENV2 NS5 interactions with other viral or host proteins within the virus replicative complex. Overall, this work sheds light on the dynamics of the multifunctional flavivirus NS5 protein and its interdomain linker. Targeting the NS5 linker is a possible strategy for producing attenuated flavivirus strains for vaccine design. IMPORTANCE Flaviviruses include important human pathogens, such as dengue virus and Zika virus. NS5 is a nonstructural protein essential for flavivirus RNA replication with dual MTase and RdRp enzyme activities and thus constitutes a major drug target. Insights into NS5 structure, dynamics, and evolution should inform the development of antiviral inhibitors and vaccine design. We found that NS5 from DENV2 can adopt a conformation resembling that of NS5 from JEV and ZIKV. Replacement of the DENV2 NS5 linker with the JEV and ZIKV NS5 linkers abolished DENV2 replication in cells, without significantly impacting in vitro DENV2 NS5 enzymatic activities. We propose that heterotypic flavivirus NS5 linkers impede DENV2 NS5 protein-protein interactions that are essential for virus replication.

scholarly journals Degradation of MicroRNA miR-466d-3p by Japanese Encephalitis Virus NS3 Facilitates Viral Replication and Interleukin-1β Expression

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Jiang ◽  
Lige Bai ◽  
Lina Ji ◽  
Zhuofang Bai ◽  
Jianwei Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Japanese Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Interleukin 1Β ◽  
Mirna Regulation ◽  
Ns3 Protein ◽  
Virus Serotype

ABSTRACT Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection alters microRNA (miRNA) expression in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the mechanism contributing to miRNA regulation in the CNS is not known. We discovered global degradation of mature miRNA in mouse brains and neuroblastoma (NA) cells after JEV infection. Integrative analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs suggested that several significantly downregulated miRNAs and their targeted mRNAs were clustered into an inflammation pathway. Transfection with miRNA 466d-3p (miR-466d-3p) decreased interleukin-1β (IL-1β) expression and inhibited JEV replication in NA cells. However, miR-466d-3p expression increased after JEV infection in the presence of cycloheximide, indicating that viral protein expression reduced miR-466d-3p expression. We generated all the JEV coding proteins and demonstrated NS3 helicase protein to be a potent miRNA suppressor. The NS3 proteins of Zika virus, West Nile virus, and dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) and DENV-2 also decreased miR-466d-3p expression. Results from helicase-blocking assays and in vitro unwinding assays demonstrated that NS3 could unwind pre-miR-466d and induce miRNA dysfunction. Computational models and an RNA immunoprecipitation assay revealed arginine-rich domains of NS3 to be crucial for pre-miRNA binding and degradation of host miRNAs. Importantly, site-directed mutagenesis of conserved residues in NS3 revealed that R226G and R202W reduced the binding affinity and degradation of pre-miR-466d. These results expand the function of flavivirus helicases beyond unwinding duplex RNA to degrade pre-miRNAs. Hence, we revealed a new mechanism for NS3 in regulating miRNA pathways and promoting neuroinflammation. IMPORTANCE Host miRNAs have been reported to regulate JEV-induced inflammation in the CNS. We found that JEV infection could reduce expression of host miRNA. The helicase region of the NS3 protein bound specifically to miRNA precursors and could lead to incorrect unwinding of miRNA precursors, thereby reducing the expression of mature miRNAs. This observation led to two major findings. First, our results suggested that JEV NS3 protein induced miR-466d-3p degradation, which promoted IL-1β expression and JEV replication. Second, arginine molecules on NS3 were the main miRNA-binding sites, because we demonstrated that miRNA degradation was abolished if arginines at R226 and R202 were mutated. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of JEV and reveals several amino acid sites that could be mutated for a JEV vaccine.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Flavivirus Neutralizing Antibodies in Thailand by High-Throughput Neutralization Assay: Endemic Circulation of Zika Virus before 2012

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Yamanaka ◽  
Mami Matsuda ◽  
Tamaki Okabayashi ◽  
Pannamthip Pitaksajjakul ◽  
Pongrama Ramasoota ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Neutralization Assay ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Antibody Detection ◽  
Luciferase Gene

Neutralization tests are the most reliable assay for flavivirus antibody detection; however, these assays are not suitable for high-throughput processing due to their time-consuming and labor-intensive nature. In this study, we developed single-round infectious particles (SRIPs) with a luciferase gene for dengue virus types 1 to 4, Japanese encephalitis virus, and Zika virus for use in a safe, high-throughput neutralization assay.

scholarly journals DNA Immunization with Japanese Encephalitis Virus Nonstructural Protein NS1 Elicits Protective Immunity in Mice

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ling Lin ◽  
Li-Kuang Chen ◽  
Ching-Len Liao ◽  
Chia-Tsui Yeh ◽  
Shiou-Hwa Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis ◽  
Plasmid Dna ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Ns1 Protein ◽  
Lethal Challenge ◽  
In Cells

ABSTRACT Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is a zoonotic pathogen that is prevalent in some Southeast Asian countries and causes acute encephalitis in humans. To evaluate the potential application of gene immunization to JEV infection, we characterized the immune responses from mice intramuscularly injected with plasmid DNA encoding JEV glycoproteins, including the precursor membrane (prM) plus envelope (E) proteins and the nonstructural protein NS1. When injected with the plasmid expressing prM plus E, 70% of the immunized mice survived after a lethal JEV challenge, whereas when immunized with the plasmid expressing NS1, 90% of the mice survived after a lethal challenge. As a control, the mice immunized with the DNA vector pcDNA3 showed a low level (40%) of protection, suggesting a nonspecific adjuvant effect of the plasmid DNA. Despite having no detectable neutralizing activity, the NS1 immunization elicited a strong antibody response exhibiting cytolytic activity against JEV-infected cells in a complement-dependent manner. By contrast, immunization with a construct expressing a longer NS1 protein (NS1′), containing an extra 60-amino-acid portion from the N terminus of NS2A, failed to protect mice against a lethal challenge. Biochemical analyses revealed that when individually expressed, NS1 but not NS1′ could be readily secreted as a homodimer in large quantity and could also be efficiently expressed on the cell surface. Interestingly, when NS1 and NS1′ coexisted in cells, the level of NS1 cell surface expression was much lower than that in cells expressing NS1 alone. These data imply that the presence of partial NS2A might have a negative influence on an NS1-based DNA vaccine. The results herein clearly illustrate that immunization with DNA expressing NS1 alone is sufficient to protect mice against a lethal JEV challenge.

scholarly journals Potential Role of Birds in Japanese Encephalitis Virus Zoonotic Transmission and Genotype Shift

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 357
Author(s):  
Muddassar Hameed ◽  
Abdul Wahaab ◽  
Mohsin Nawaz ◽  
Sawar Khan ◽  
Jawad Nazir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Japanese Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Zoonotic Transmission ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Genotype I ◽  
Genotype Iii

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), which is primarily prevalent in Asia. JEV is a Flavivirus, classified into a single serotype with five genetically distinct genotypes (I, II, III, IV, and V). JEV genotype III (GIII) had been the most dominant strain and caused numerous outbreaks in the JEV endemic countries until 1990. However, recent data shows the emergence of JEV genotype I (GI) as a dominant genotype and it is gradually displacing GIII. The exact mechanism of this genotype displacement is still unclear. The virus can replicate in mosquito vectors and vertebrate hosts to maintain its zoonotic life cycle; pigs and aquatic wading birds act as an amplifying/reservoir hosts, and the humans and equines are dead-end hosts. The important role of pigs as an amplifying host for the JEV is well known. However, the influence of other domestic animals, especially birds, that live in high abundance and close proximity to the human is not well studied. Here, we strive to briefly highlight the role of birds in the JEV zoonotic transmission, discovery of birds as a natural reservoirs and amplifying host for JEV, species of birds susceptible to the JEV infection, and the proposed effect of JEV on the poultry industry in the future, a perspective that has been neglected for a long time. We also discuss the recent in vitro and in vivo studies that show that the newly emerged GI viruses replicated more efficiently in bird-derived cells and ducklings/chicks than GIII, and an important role of birds in the JEV genotype shift from GIII to GI.

scholarly journals Human MxB Inhibits the Replication of Hepatitis C Virus

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Rong Yi ◽  
Ni An ◽  
Zhen-Long Liu ◽  
Feng-Wen Xu ◽  
Kavita Raniga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Japanese Encephalitis ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Encephalitis Virus ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Type I ◽  
Dependent Manner

ABSTRACTType I interferon (IFN) inhibits viruses by inducing the expression of antiviral proteins. The IFN-induced myxovirus resistance B (MxB) protein has been reported to inhibit a limited number of viruses, including HIV-1 and herpesviruses, but its antiviral coverage remains to be explored further. Here we show that MxB interferes with RNA replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and significantly inhibits viral replication in a cyclophilin A (CypA)-dependent manner. Our data further show that MxB interacts with the HCV protein NS5A, thereby impairing NS5A interaction with CypA and NS5A localization to the endoplasmic reticulum, two events essential for HCV RNA replication. Interestingly, we found that MxB significantly inhibits two additional CypA-dependent viruses of theFlaviviridaefamily, namely, Japanese encephalitis virus and dengue virus, suggesting a potential link between virus dependence on CypA and virus susceptibility to MxB inhibition. Collectively, these data have identified MxB as a key factor behind IFN-mediated suppression of HCV infection, and they suggest that other CypA-dependent viruses may also be subjected to MxB restriction.IMPORTANCEViruses of theFlaviviridaefamily cause major illness and death around the world and thus pose a great threat to human health. Here we show that IFN-inducible MxB restricts several members of theFlaviviridae, including HCV, Japanese encephalitis virus, and dengue virus. This finding not only suggests an active role of MxB in combating these major pathogenic human viruses but also significantly expands the antiviral spectrum of MxB. Our study further strengthens the link between virus dependence on CypA and susceptibility to MxB restriction and also suggests that MxB may employ a common mechanism to inhibit different viruses. Elucidating the antiviral functions of MxB advances our understanding of IFN-mediated host antiviral defense and may open new avenues to the development of novel antiviral therapeutics.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document