Systematic MicroRNA Analysis Identifies ATP6V0C as an Essential Host Factor for Human Cytomegalovirus Replication

PLoS Pathogens

Jon Pavelin¹  Stephen Chiweshe¹  Finn Grey¹  Natalie Reynolds¹  Guanming Wu²  Rebecca Tiribassi³ 

[1] Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom;OCTRI, Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America;Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America

关键词: MicroRNAs;    Small interfering RNAs;    Viral replication;    Fibroblasts;    Transfection;    Human cytomegalovirus;    Cytomegalovirus infection;    Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction;   

DOI  :  10.1371/journal.ppat.1003820

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Public Library of Science

【 摘 要 】

Recent advances in microRNA target identification have greatly increased the number of putative targets of viral microRNAs. However, it is still unclear whether all targets identified are biologically relevant. Here, we use a combined approach of RISC immunoprecipitation and focused siRNA screening to identify targets of HCMV encoded human cytomegalovirus that play an important role in the biology of the virus. Using both a laboratory and clinical strain of human cytomegalovirus, we identify over 200 putative targets of human cytomegalovirus microRNAs following infection of fibroblast cells. By comparing RISC-IP profiles of miRNA knockout viruses, we have resolved specific interactions between human cytomegalovirus miRNAs and the top candidate target transcripts and validated regulation by western blot analysis and luciferase assay. Crucially we demonstrate that miRNA target genes play important roles in the biology of human cytomegalovirus as siRNA knockdown results in marked effects on virus replication. The most striking phenotype followed knockdown of the top target ATP6V0C, which is required for endosomal acidification. siRNA knockdown of ATP6V0C resulted in almost complete loss of infectious virus production, suggesting that an HCMV microRNA targets a crucial cellular factor required for virus replication. This study greatly increases the number of identified targets of human cytomegalovirus microRNAs and demonstrates the effective use of combined miRNA target identification and focused siRNA screening for identifying novel host virus interactions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY