Biology subjects

Orchard, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Orchard, R..

8 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Development of a replication competent murine norovirus reporter system

Caliciviruses are significant agricultural and human pathogens that are poorly understood due to the dearth of molecular tools, including reporter systems. We report the development of a stable, faithful, and robust luciferase-based reporter system for a model calicivirus, murine norovirus (MNoV). Genetic insertion of a HiBiT tag, an 11 amino acid fragment of nanolucifersase, at the junction of the nonstructural proteins NS4 and NS5 yields infectious virus. The resultant MNoV-HiBiT produces robust signal that is detected early in infection and occurs only in cells susceptible to MNoV infection. As proof of principle, we used this tool to characterize two unappreciated host directed anti-MNoV compounds. The use of the MNoV-HiBiT virus enables new mechanistic studies by a rapid and quantitative means of measuring MNoV replication. Furthermore, the HiBiT insertion strategy we describe may be useful for the generation of other calicivirus reporters. Author SummaryColloquially known as "the stomach bug," human norovirus is a leading cause of foodborne illness worldwide. Despite its prevalence, there are no approved therapeutics or vaccines against norovirus owing to the challenges in cultivation of the virus and a lack of a small animal model of human norovirus. Murine Norovirus (MNoV) has emerged as a tractable model due to its similarity to human norovirus and the ability to grow the virus in laboratory strains of mice and immortalized cells in vitro. Reporter viruses, which include enzymatic or fluorescent reporter genes in the viral genome, are invaluable tools that expedite viral research. Unfortunately, there are no MNoV reporter systems available. Here we developed a novel reporter MNoV using a complimentary nanoluciferase. Specifically, we inserted a HiBiT tag into the MNoV genome that is functionalized into a full nanoluciferase protein and emits light in the presence of LgBiT. We demonstrated that MNoV-HiBiT is a faithful and sensitive reporter of viral replication across MNoV strains and cell types. We used the reporter virus to screen novel anti-viral compounds, demonstrating that the MNoV-HiBiT system is a powerful tool to enhance norovirus research.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Membrane asymmetry facilitates murine norovirus entry and persistent enteric infection

Norovirus, the leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, is a non-enveloped virus whose tropism is determined in part by the expression patterns of entry receptors. However, the contribution of cellular lipids to viral entry is not well understood. Here, we determined that the asymmetrical distribution of lipids within membrane bilayers is required for murine norovirus (MNV) replication. Specifically, TMEM30a, an essential subunit of lipid flippases, is required for MNV replication in vitro. Disruption of TMEM30a in mouse intestinal epithelial cells prevents persistent, enteric infection by MNV in vivo. Mechanistically, TMEM30a facilitates MNV binding and entry. Surprisingly, exoplasmic phosphatidylserine (PS), a typical marker of dying cells, does not inhibit MNV infection. Rather, TMEM30a maintains a lipid ordered state that impacts membrane fluidity that is necessary for the low affinity, high avidity binding of MNV to cells. Our data provides a new role for lipid asymmetry in promoting non-enveloped virus infection in vitro and norovirus persistence in vivo.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Genome-wide CRISPR activation screen identifies JADE3 as an antiviral activator of NF-kB

The innate immune system features a web of interacting pathways that require exquisite regulation. To identify novel nodes in this immune landscape we conducted a gain of function, genome-wide CRISPR activation screen with influenza A virus. We identified both appreciated and novel antiviral genes, including JADE3 a protein involved in directing the histone acetyltransferase HBO1 complex to modify chromatin and regulate transcription. JADE3 is both necessary and sufficient to restrict influenza A virus infection. Interestingly, expression of the closely related paralogues JADE1 and JADE2 are unable to restrict influenza A virus infection, suggesting a distinct function of JADE3. We identify both shared and unique transcriptional signatures between uninfected cells expressing JADE3 and JADE2. These data provide a framework for understanding the overlapping and distinct functions of the JADE family of paralogues. Specifically, we find that JADE3 expression activates the NF-kB signaling pathway, consistent with an antiviral function. Therefore, we propose JADE3, but not JADE1 or JADE2, activates an antiviral genetic program involving the NF-kB pathway to restrict influenza A virus infection.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Norovirus MLKL-like pore forming protein initiates programed cell death for viral egress

Non-enveloped viruses require cell lysis to release new virions from infected cells, suggesting that these viruses require mechanisms to induce cell death. Noroviruses are one such group of viruses, but a mechanism of norovirus-infection triggered cell death and lysis are unknown. Here we have identified a molecular mechanism of norovirus-induced cell death. We found that the norovirus-encoded NTPase contains a N-terminal four helix bundle domain homologous to the pore forming domain of the pseudokinase Mixed Lineage Kinase Domain-Like (MLKL). Norovirus NTPase acquired a mitochondrial localization signal, thereby inducing cell death by targeting mitochondria. NTPase full length (NTPase-FL) and N-terminal fragment (NTPase-NT) bound mitochondrial membrane lipid cardiolipin, permeabilized mitochondrial membrane and induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Both the N-terminal region and the mitochondrial localization motif of NTPase were essential for cell death, virus egress from cells and virus replication in mice. These findings suggest that noroviruses stole a MLKL-like pore forming domain and co-opted it to facilitate viral egress by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

A FACT-ETS-1 Antiviral Response Pathway Restricts Viral Replication and is Countered by Poxvirus A51R Proteins

The FACT complex is an ancient chromatin remodeling factor comprised of Spt16 and SSRP1 subunits that regulates specific eukaryotic gene expression programs. However, whether FACT regulates host immune responses to infection was unclear. Here, we identify an antiviral pathway mediated by FACT, distinct from the interferon response, that restricts poxvirus replication. We show that early viral gene expression triggers nuclear accumulation of specialized, SUMOylated Spt16 subunits of FACT required for expression of ETS-1, a downstream transcription factor that activates a virus restriction program. However, poxvirus-encoded A51R proteins block ETS-1 expression by outcompeting SSRP1 for binding to SUMOylated Spt16 in the cytosol and by tethering SUMOylated Spt16 to microtubules. Moreover, we show that A51R antagonism of FACT enhances both poxvirus replication in human cells and viral virulence in mice. Finally, we demonstrate that FACT also restricts unrelated RNA viruses, suggesting a broad role for FACT in antiviral immunity. Our study reveals the FACT-ETS-1 Antiviral Response (FEAR) pathway to be critical for eukaryotic antiviral immunity and describes a unique mechanism of viral immune evasion.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Reovirus infection is regulated by NPC1 and endosomal cholesterol homeostasis

Cholesterol homeostasis is required for the replication of many viruses, including Ebola virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus-1. Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) is an endosomal-lysosomal membrane protein involved in cholesterol trafficking from late endosomes and lysosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum. We identified NPC1 in CRISPR and RNA interference screens as a putative host factor for infection by mammalian orthoreovirus (reovirus). Following internalization via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, the reovirus outer capsid is proteolytically removed, the endosomal membrane is disrupted, and the viral core is released into the cytoplasm where viral transcription, genome replication, and assembly take place. We found that reovirus infection is significantly impaired in cells lacking NPC1, but infection is restored by treatment of cells with hydroxypropyl-{beta}-cyclodextrin, which binds and solubilizes cholesterol. Absence of NPC1 did not dampen infection by infectious subvirion particles, which are reovirus disassembly intermediates that bypass the endocytic pathway for infection of target cells. NPC1 is not required for reovirus attachment to the plasma membrane, internalization into cells, or uncoating within endosomes. Instead, NPC1 is required for delivery of transcriptionally active reovirus core particles into the cytoplasm. These findings suggest that cholesterol homeostasis, ensured by NPC1 transport activity, is required for reovirus penetration into the cytoplasm, pointing to a new function for NPC1 and cholesterol homeostasis in viral infection. Author summaryGenetic screens are useful strategies to identify host factors required for viral infection. NPC1 was identified in independent CRISPR and RNA interference screens as a putative host factor required for reovirus replication. We discovered that NPC1-mediated cholesterol transport is dispensable for reovirus attachment, internalization, and disassembly but required for penetration of the viral disassembly intermediate from late endosomes into the cytoplasm. These findings pinpoint an essential function for cholesterol in the entry of reovirus and raise the possibility that cholesterol homeostasis regulates the entry of other viruses that penetrate late endosomes to initiate replication.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Genome-wide CRISPR screen reveals host genes that regulate SARS-CoV-2 infection

Identification of host genes essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection may reveal novel therapeutic targets and inform our understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis. Here we performed a genome-wide CRISPR screen with SARS-CoV-2 and identified known SARS-CoV-2 host factors including the receptor ACE2 and protease Cathepsin L. We additionally discovered novel pro-viral genes and pathways including the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex and key components of the TGF-{beta} signaling pathway. Small molecule inhibitors of these pathways prevented SARS-CoV-2-induced cell death. We also revealed that the alarmin HMGB1 is critical for SARS-CoV-2 replication. In contrast, loss of the histone H3.3 chaperone complex sensitized cells to virus-induced death. Together this study reveals potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 and highlights host genes that may regulate COVID-19 pathogenesis.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2018

Identification of anti-norovirus genes in mouse and human cells using genome-wide CRISPR activation screening

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a leading cause of gastroenteritis world-wide, yet host factors that restrict NoV replication are not well understood. Here, we use a CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) genome-wide screening to identify host genes that can inhibit murine norovirus (MNoV) replication in either mouse or human cells. Our screens identified with high confidence 57 genes that can inhibit MNoV infection when overexpressed. A significant number of these genes are in interferon and immune regulation signaling networks, but surprising, the majority of the genes identified are not associated with innate or adaptive immunity nor with any antiviral activity. Confirmatory studies of eight of the genes in validate the initial screening data. Mechanistic studies on TRIM7 demonstrated a conserved role of the molecule in mouse and human cells in restricting MNoV in a step of infection after viral entry. Furthermore, we demonstrate that two isoforms of TRIM7 have differential antiviral activity. Taken together these data provide a resource for understanding norovirus biology and demonstrate a robust methodology for identifying new antiviral molecules across cell types and species.\n\nAuthor SummaryNorovirus is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness world-wide. Despite its prevalence, our understanding of norovirus biology is limited due to the difficulty in growing human norovirus in vitro and a lack of an animal model. Murine norovirus (MNoV) is a model norovirus system because MNoV replicates robustly in cell culture and in mice. To identify host genes that can restrict norovirus replication when overexpressed we performed genome-wide CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) screens to induce gene overexpression at the native locus through recruitment of transcriptional activators to individual gene promoters. We found 57 genes could block murine norovirus replication in either mouse or human cells. Several of these genes are associated with classical immune signaling pathways, while many of the molecules we identified have not been previously associated with antiviral activity. Our data is a resource for those studying norovirus and we provide a robust approach to identify novel antiviral genes.

microbiology↗