Bradrick, S. S. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2019

Ribosomal stalk proteins RPLP1 and RPLP2 promote biogenesis of flaviviral and cellular multi-pass transmembrane proteins

Dengue virus (DENV) and other mosquito-borne flaviviruses are highly dependent on the ribosomal stalk proteins, RPLP1 and RPLP2 (RPLP1/2), for efficient infection. Here, we show that RPLP1/2 function to relieve ribosome pausing within the DENV envelope coding sequence, leading to enhanced protein stability. We used ribosome profiling to evaluate viral and cellular translation in RPLP1/2-depleted cells. This revealed that ribosomes pause in the sequence coding for the N-terminus of the envelope protein, immediately downstream of sequences encoding two adjacent transmembrane domains (TMDs). RPLP1/2 function to enhance ribosome elongation at this position and increase viral protein stability, possibly by improving co-translational folding of DENV proteins. We also analyzed the effects of RPLP1/2 depletion on cellular translation. We find that RPLP1/2 affects ribosome density for a small subset of cellular mRNAs. However, meta-analysis of ribosome positions on all cellular mRNAs revealed slightly increased accumulation of ribosomes downstream of start codons in RPLP1/2-depleted cells, suggesting that RPLP1/2 enhance elongation efficiency. Importantly, we found that ribosome density on mRNAs encoding multiple TMDs was disproportionately affected by RPLP1/2 knockdown, implying a role for RPLP1/2 in transmembrane protein biogenesis. Together, our findings reveal insights into the function of RPLP1/2 in DENV and cellular translation.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Peptidoglycan associated cyclic lipopeptide disrupts viral infectivity

Enteric viruses exploit bacterial components including lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PG) to facilitate infection in humans. With origins in the bat enteric system, we wondered if severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) or Middle East respiratory syndrome-CoV (MERS-CoV) also use bacterial components to modulate infectivity. To test this question, we incubated CoVs with LPS and PG and evaluated infectivity finding no change following LPS treatment. However, PG from B. subtilis reduced infection >10,000-fold while PG from other bacterial species failed to recapitulate this. Treatment with an alcohol solvent transferred inhibitory activity to the wash and mass spectrometry revealed surfactin, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, as the inhibitory compound. This antibiotic had robust dose- and temperature-dependent inhibition of CoV infectivity. Mechanistic studies indicated that surfactin disrupts CoV virion integrity and surfactin treatment of the virus inoculum ablated infection in vivo. Finally, similar cyclic lipopeptides had no effect on CoV infectivity and the inhibitory effect of surfactin extended broadly to enveloped viruses including influenza, Ebola, Zika, Nipah, Chikungunya, Una, Mayaro, Dugbe, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses. Overall, our results indicate that peptidoglycan-associated surfactin has broad virucidal activity and suggest bacteria byproducts may negatively modulate virus infection.\n\nImportanceIn this manuscript, we considered a role for bacteria in shaping coronavirus infection. Taking cues from studies of enteric viruses, we initially investigated how bacterial surface components might improve CoV infection. Instead, we found that peptidoglycan-associated surfactin is a potent viricidal compound that disrupts virion integrity with broad activity against enveloped viruses. Our results indicate that interactions with commensal bacterial may improve or disrupt viral infections highlighting the importance of understanding these microbial interactions and their implications for viral pathogenesis and treatment.

microbiology↗