Biology subjects

Sun, Z.

Publications and source records attributed to Sun, Z..

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Novel Muscle-Tropic AAV Capsids with Dramatically Enhanced Transduction and Safety Profiles in Non-Human Primates

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy holds immense promise for treating muscular dystrophies, yet its efficacy and safety are constrained by the suboptimal tissue tropism of natural serotypes. Here, we employed the REACH platform, which combines rational design and directed evolution, to engineer muscle targeting vectors. Systemic administration in non-human primates (NHPs) revealed that lead candidate M1 mediates a >10-fold increase in skeletal muscle transduction compared to the AAV9 and 2-3 fold higher than MyoAAV, while concurrently achieving a remarkable 183-fold reduction in liver distribution. Furthermore, M1 exhibited significant de-targeting from key off-target tissues, including dorsal root ganglia (11 fold), lung (27 fold), spleen (2 fold), and kidney (2 fold). These findings demonstrate that the REACH platform can generate AAV capsids with simultaneously enhanced muscle tropism and favorable safety profiles, addressing a critical bottleneck in muscle-directed gene therapy.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2026

dbGIST: An LLM-Assisted Multi-Omics Resource for Target Exploration and Cross-Dataset Validation in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract, yet GIST-specific omics evidence remains scattered across small cohorts and is not represented as a dedicated disease project in major cancer genomics resources, limiting reproducible target exploration. Here, we present dbGIST (https://www.dbgist.com), a dedicated GIST-focused multi-omics resource built to make dispersed GIST evidence searchable, analyzable, and reusable. dbGIST harmonizes data from 37 centers and 1,991 samples, including pathologically verified in-house cohorts, across genomics, bulk transcriptomics, proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and single-cell transcriptomics, and couples these data with curated clinical annotations covering survival, mutation status, risk stratification, metastasis or recurrence, mitotic index, tumor site and size, and imatinib response. The platform supports cohort-level molecular-clinical association, survival, enrichment, immune-infiltration, drug-sensitivity, and single-cell analyses through interactive visualizations, downloadable source data, and public APIs for programmatic access to reusable analysis outputs and visualization-ready data. An optional LLM-assisted interface helps users navigate analyses and interpret outputs. Using MCM7 as a case study, dbGIST linked a resource-derived candidate to survival, risk features, metastatic or recurrent disease, imatinib-response phenotypes, proliferative cell states, and in vitro GIST-cell behavior. dbGIST therefore provides a traceable and interoperable resource for target exploration and precision oncology research in GIST.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Proteomic Identification of Pig Xenoantigens for Clinical Xenotransplantation

Xenotransplantation using genetically engineered pig organs offers a promising solution to the shortage of donor organs for life-saving transplants. However, human preformed antibodies against unknown pig xenoantigens remain a significant barrier to successful xenotransplantation. Current methods for characterizing these antibodies or xenoantigens are limited to cellular-level crossmatch assays. In this study, we developed a novel approach to identify pig xenoantigens, including peptide and glycopeptide epitopes that react with human preformed antibodies. First, human preformed antibodies against xenoantigens were enriched from plasma using immobilized pig kidney proteins. The enriched antibodies were then immobilized and used to isolate pig kidney proteins, peptides, and intact glycopeptides, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. This dual-level approach identified 221 peptides corresponding to 153 proteins, with a significant enrichment of plasma membrane and extracellular proteins. Notably, 11 peptides were unique to pig sequences, suggesting their potential role in driving xenogeneic immune responses. Glycoproteomic analysis identified 122 intact glycopeptides, predominantly complex/hybrid glycoforms and Neu5Gc-containing glycans. Our method effectively identifies peptides and intact glycopeptides reactive to human preformed antibodies, providing critical insights for discovering xenoantigens. These findings could guide genetic engineering strategies and enhance recipient candidate screening for xenotransplantation, ultimately increasing the feasibility and success of xenogeneic organ transplantation.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2026

Specification of bone marrow sinusoids requires TIE2-mediated positive feedback involving COUPTFII and VEGFR3

The bone marrow (BM) vascular network plays crucial roles in driving bone development and supporting hematopoiesis, yet the mechanisms governing its specialized architecture, particularly sinusoidal morphogenesis, remain inadequately characterized. We show in this study that TIE2 (Tek) was highly expressed by BM sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) and the endothelial Tek excision led to BM sinusoidal capillarization. Particularly, the BM sinusoids displayed thinner vessel diameter with the aberrant mural cell coverage in the Tek mutants. Mechanistically, TIE2 insufficiency led to a dramatic decrease of VEGFR3 in BM-SECs while its expression in hepatic sinusoids was not obviously altered. The RNA-seq analysis showed that GO terms enriched for the downregulated genes were related to the biological processes including sinusoidal development while pathways related to arterial ECs and angiogenesis were upregulated in the bone marrow of Tek mutants. The alteration of sinusoidal VEGFR3 expression occurred within 48 h after the induced endothelial deletion of Tek. Consistently, the defective BM sinusoidal formation was validated with the induced Tek deletion in VEGFR3+ SECs. The insufficiency of TIE2 ligand ANGPT1 also led to reduced sinusoidal VEGFR3, accompanied by similar BM sinusoidal defects. Furthermore, disruption of sinusoidal morphogenesis was observed in mutant mice with the endothelial excision of Nr2f2 (COUP-TFII), displaying a decreased expression of BM sinusoidal TIE2 and VEGFR3. These findings suggest that ANGPT1/TIE2 and COUP-TFII form a reciprocal regulatory loop to coordinate BM sinusoidal specification via regulating VEGFR3.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2026

The human gut virome is a non-redundant and clinically informative component of the microbiome

The gut virome represents a vast reservoir of genetic diversity with profound implications for human health, yet it remains the "dark matter" of the microbiome due to the staggering complexity of reproducible viral profiling. It remains fundamentally contested whether biologically informative virome signals can be robustly recovered from routine whole-metagenome sequencing (WMS), and to what extent these signals offer ecological insights independent of the bacteriome. Here we present VIP2B, a framework that leverages Type IIB restriction tags to extract multifaceted viral features (encompassing taxonomy, coverage, function, and phenotype) directly from bulk WMS data. Through extensive benchmarking across incomplete references, unseen genomes, and high bacterial or host background, we demonstrate that VIP2B achieved high precision and robust taxonomic concordance. By applying VIP2B to paired bulk and virus-like particle (VLP)-enriched datasets, we reveal a species-level overlap far greater than previously recognized, proving that standard bulk metagenomes contain a wealth of recoverable viral information. Analysis of 20 clinical cohorts demonstrates that coverage-, function-, and phenotype-resolved viral features consistently identify disease-associated signatures that escape taxonomic analysis alone, significantly improving diagnostic models over bacteriome-only approaches. Finally, we define two distinct gut virome community states at the population scale (n=6,090), characterized by divergent diversity profiles and health associations. Our findings establish the gut virome as a non-redundant, clinically actionable component of the human holobiont and provide the methodology necessary to transition microbiome research toward a truly multi-kingdom framework.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2026

Single-cell Transcriptomics Analyses Reveal Specialized Microglial Subsets with Oligodendrocyte-like Signatures

BackgroundMicroglial heterogeneity is a fundamental feature of brain homeostasis and pathology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the complexity of microglial plasticity by characterizing specialized oligodendrocyte-like microglial subsets. MethodsThe study was performed utilizing single-cell transcriptomics analyses and immunofluorescence staining to identify and profile microglial subpopulations. Additionally, spatial transferring and morphological analyses were conducted to determine the anatomical distribution and structural features of these specific cells. ResultsWe identified a distinct microglial subset termed dual-phenotype microglia (DPM), which co-expresses microglial and oligodendrocyte markers. DPM consisted of two subtypes with distinct functions: myelin-associated DPM (mDPM) and neuron-associated DPM (nDPM). Spatial and morphological evaluations revealed that mDPMs were sparsely distributed across the whole brain and exhibited a highly ramified architecture, whereas nDPMs were enriched in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Mechanistically, we found that mDPM function was driven by the Sox10 regulon to modulate myelin maintenance and axonal ensheathment, while nDPM was orchestrated by Glis2, facilitating essential neuron-glia crosstalk and synaptic regulation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that nDPM and mDPM were predicted to undergo significant alterations in multiple sclerosis and Alzheimers disease. Notably, mDPMs were selectively enriched in active multiple sclerosis lesions, revealing that DPM were closely related to neuropsychiatric disorders. ConclusionsBy comprehensively characterizing the morphology, molecular signatures, and spatial logic of these oligodendrocyte-like microglial subsets, our study elucidated the complexity of microglial plasticity. These findings provided new insights into their diverse roles in central nervous system health and disease. Graphical abstractIdentification, Molecular Profiling, and Functional Modeling of Dual-Phenotype Microglia (DPM). (1) Discovery: Identification of the dual-phenotype microglia (DPM) population through single-cell transcriptomics. (2) Molecular Signatures: The transcriptomic identity of DPM subtypes is governed by specific regulatory networks. (3) Distribution & Pathology: Spatial mapping reveals divergent anatomical logic and disease relations for DPM subtypes. (4) Mechanism/Theory: A proposed functional model of mDPMs as "metabolic relay" and support units. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=113 SRC="FIGDIR/small/724239v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (39K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b7db1dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9265e7org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1605d82org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19b048f_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

G4 Eurasian avian-like H1N1 swine influenza viruses exhibit enhanced pathogenicity potential in mice and pigs

Currently circulating swine influenza viruses (SIVs) mainly include H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 subtypes. In this study, two G4 genotype Eurasian avian-like (EA) H1N1 SIVs were isolated from 556 samples collected between 2023 and 2026. A systematic analysis was conducted on the two EA H1N1 isolates (FYD30 and YZF69) to assess their pandemic potential. The hemagglutinin (HA) proteins of both H1N1 viruses possessed residues 225E and 228S, indicating enhanced affinity for human-like -2,6-linked sialic acid receptors, which was confirmed by receptor-binding assays. Polymerase activity tests demonstrated that the two SIVs exhibited significantly higher activity in mammalian cells, relative to avian cells, which is consistent with the efficient replication in mammalian cells. Challenge experiments revealed that both H1N1 caused significant pathogenicity in mice and pigs, with YZF69 exhibited higher virulence than FYD30. The higher virulence of YZF69 may be attributed to its molecular features, including the NP Q357K mutation, and an additional glycosylation site in HA. In conclusion, currently circulating EA H1N1 SIVs have acquired key molecular signatures of mammalian adaptation, exhibit enhanced virulence in mammals, and continue to undergo extensive reassortment driven by international swine trade. These findings highlight the potential pandemic risk of SIVs and underscore the urgent need for strengthened surveillance.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Motor abstraction training generalizes to the refinement of specific movement patterns

The ability to abstract the invariant structure of an experience while discarding incidental details underlies generalization across virtually every domain of human cognition, from vision and language to concept learning. Yet whether the motor system generates such abstractions and whether they causally contribute to skill learning remain open questions. Here, we introduce a paradigm in which human participants learned to refine novel movement patterns by learning to precisely copy unfamiliar handwritten characters. To examine the role of motor abstractions in this form of motor learning, participants were trained on markedly rotated versions of the characters, which recruited substantially different lower-level movements while still maintaining the relevant abstract movement trajectory. Across eleven experiments, abstraction training drove robust skill improvements that were comparable to having repetitive practice on the canonical form of each character. Moreover, this learning was largely motoric in nature: it did not require a visual template, sustained trajectory feedback, or mental imagery, and was sensitive to the sequential structure of the movement trajectory. These findings establish a causal role for abstractions in motor learning, revealing that the motor system likely deploys abstractions in the earliest stages of skill acquisition.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

MYC pathway reprogramming through a TIP60 coactivator switch in neuroendocrine lineage transition in prostate cancer

Prostate adenocarcinomas (PRAD) can acquire resistance to androgen receptor signaling inhibitors through lineage transition to a cell state known as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Using a panel of isogenic PRAD and NEPC mouse tumoroids, we show that NEPC cells acquire new transcription factor (TF) dependencies that function in a previously undefined network. Through selective perturbation of each TF, we identify ASCL1 as a key regulator of NE lineage fate whereas MYCL functions downstream to drive NEPC growth/survival by recruitment of the TIP60/KAT5 acetyltransferase. Interestingly, while dependencies on specific TF family paralogs can vary across NEPC models, all show markedly enhanced dependency on TIP60. Moreover, the H2A.Z-acetyltransferase activity of the TIP60 complex (TIP60-C) is required for NEPC as well as the acetyl-reader BRD8, which is newly incorporated as a TIP60-C subunit with the NEPC transition. Targeted degradation studies in isogenic tumoroids reveal increased dependence on MYCL in NEPC relative to its paralog MYC in PRAD. In addition to a paralog switch (MYC to MYCL), the MYC pathway-addicted NE state is accompanied by a chaperone switch (from TIP60-C to SRCAP) for H2A.Z histone exchange and a coactivator switch (to TIP60) for MYC target gene expression. The NE-specific coupling of MYCL with TIP60 reveals a previously unappreciated opportunity to target MYC-driven NE diseases through pharmacological inhibition of TIP60.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Quercetin and Fisetin activate circadian clock via RORα and inhibit adipocyte growth

The circadian clock maintains temporal control of metabolic processes and exerts a key role in adipocyte development. Discovery of clock-modulatory compounds may provide new avenues for metabolic disease therapy. Here we report the identification of flavonoid compounds, Quercetin and Fisetin, as clock-activating molecules with direct inhibitory action on adipogenesis and adipocyte lipid metabolism. Quercetin and Fisetin displayed robust ROR agonism that promoted clock oscillation with induction of clock genes. Treating preadipocytes with these compounds blocked their adipogenic differentiation. In mature adipocytes, Quercetin and Fisetin suppressed lipid accumulation by inhibiting lipogenic enzymes. Furthermore, activation of ROR by a synthetic agonist or ectopic expression were sufficient to inhibit adipogenesis. In mice treated with Quercetin or Fisetin, ROR was markedly induced in adipose depots with strong suppression of the adipogenic and lipogenic programs. While quercetin significantly attenuated lipid storage in adipose tissue in vivo accompanied with lowering of free fatty acids and improved insulin sensitivity, fisetin displayed a less robust effect with differential regulation of lipolytic pathway. Collectively, these findings uncovered the clock-activating properties of quercetin and fisetin that prevent adipocyte maturation and hypertrophy to limit adipose tissue expansion. These actions contribute, at least in part, to their beneficial effects on metabolic disorders.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Potent and Broad HIV-1 Neutralization by a Bispecific CD4-CD4i Fusion Protein based on Single-Domain CD4-D1 and X5 CD4i antibody

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a global health threat. Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly transformed HIV into a manageable chronic disease, emergence of drug resistance to current ART is a continuing concern. Broadly neutralizing antibodies, as well as reagents containing both a soluble CD4 mimetic and an HIV co-receptor inhibitor--such as CD4-CD4i antibodies--are promising strategies for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection. We previously developed a CD4 D1mimetic (mD1.22) with enhanced neutralization potency, surpassing that of the clinically validated sCD4-D1D2 mimetic. We also previously identified a novel CD4i antibody (X5) that targets the conserved coreceptor binding site on the gp120 core and recognizes an epitope partially overlapping with 17b monoclonal antibody binding site. X5 binding to gp120 was augmented by CD4 and modestly enhanced by CCR5. To leverage these favorable interactions, we designed and optimized sCD4-X5 bispecific antibodies by computational structure-aided modification of antibody size and fusion linkers between the two binding moieties. The bispecific D1X5, with a (G4S)7 long linker between D1 and X5 (IgG1-LL D1X5), exhibited broad neutralization against 11 diverse HIV subtypes across B, C, G clades and AC, BC recombinants. The TZM-bl cell neutralization assay showed IgG1-LL D1X5 neutralization geometric mean IC50 and IC80 are 0.6 g/mL and 3.4 g/mL respectively, which are within the range of potent bnAbs. This work has identified a novel single domain soluble CD4 based CD4-CD4i bispecific antibody with broad HIV-1 neutralization.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Identification of AAV Capsids with Enhanced Intravitreal Transduction and Favorable Safety Profile in Non-Human Primates

We report the discovery of novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid variants engineered for superior intravitreal (IVT) gene delivery to the primate retina. Utilizing the REACH platform, we constructed a diverse AAV variant library and employed a multi-stage screening strategy involving in vitro selection on human retinal pigment cells followed by direct in vivo screening in non-human primates (NHPs). Following IVT administration in NHPS of a barcoded variant pool, next-generation sequencing analysis of retinal tissues identified lead candidates (e.g., E52, E54, and E57) that achieved transduction levels in the neural retina and RPE 5-10 fold higher than the benchmark R100. Concurrently, these high-potency variants exhibited an exceptional ocular confinement profile, with minimal to undetectable vector genome distribution in systemic organs. This combination of markedly enhanced retinal transduction and stringent local tropism establishes these engineered capsids as promising next-generation vectors for the treatment of inherited and acquired retinal diseases via a minimally invasive IVT route.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2026

Reveal Principles of Codon Optimization via Machine Learning

High level of protein expression is usually welcomed in industry and research, and codon optimization is widely used to achieve high expression. Methods of implementing codon optimization can be divided into two branches, one is classical methods which develop cost functions based on empirical law, another is AI methods which learn the codon choice principles from endogenous genes with neural networks. Here we develop two codon optimization tools based on two branches respectively, namely OptimWiz 2.1 and OptimWiz 3.0. Results of fusion protein fluorescence detection indicate that both OptimWiz 2.1 and OptimWiz 3.0 are superior to all the other commercially available codon optimization tools. Principles of codon optimization are revealed in the process of machine learning on both tools.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2026

Combination of engineered cell type-specific promoters and a high-efficiency AAV capsid restores hearing in adult DFNB1 mice model with demonstrated safety in nonhuman primate

A major challenge in gene therapy for GJB2-related hearing loss (DFNB1)--the most common form of hereditary deafness--is achieving efficient and precise connexin 26 delivery. Herein, we engineered two cell type-specific promoters (GJB2-1 and WFS1-2274) and developed an AAV capsid, AAV-MAS012, with enhanced transduction efficiency in mature cochlear cells. Our AAV-mediated gene therapy systems restored hearing of low-to-mid-frequencies in newborn Gjb2 cKO mice to wild-type levels and maintained for 45 weeks. Additionally, our therapeutic systems restored low-to-mid-frequencies hearing function to wild-type levels in adult Gjb2 cKO mice. A humanized version of the therapy, AAV-MAS012-WFS1-2274-hGJB2, rescued hearing function in two distinct Gjb2-deficient mouse models, and demonstrated a favorable safety profile in nonhuman primates. This study represents the first successful hearing restoration in adult Gjb2-deficient mice. The significant therapeutic efficacy of the humanized gene therapy system shows great potential for clinical translation in DFNB1 patients.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2026

A Fungal Natural Product that Targets Cellulose Synthase Complex and Inhibits Plant Cellulose Biosynthesis

Cellulose, a primary component of plant cell walls, is synthesized by cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs) at the plasma membrane. Targeting this process with cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors (CBIs) has significantly advanced our understanding of plant cell wall formation and provided valuable compounds for herbicide development. Here, we identified a fungal natural product, 8-methyldichlorodiaporthin (MDD), as a broad-spectrum plant CBI. Structure-activity relationship analyses demonstrate that methylation modifications on the isocoumarin ring and chlorination of side chain are crucial for MDD-induced growth inhibition. A chemical forward genetic screen in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed two semi-dominant CESA1 mutations, causing A903T and H1024Y substitutions, that confer insensitivity to MDD. Both mutations locate to transmembrane domains of CESA1, and we show that MDD depletes CSCs from the plasma membrane and reduces cellulose content. Further genetic analyses indicate that the cesa1mddi1-1 A903T mutant also confers resistance to CBIs quinoxyphen and C17, but not to CBIs isoxaben, indaziflam, or ES20. Stacking additional point mutations conferring resistance to other CBIs, cesa3ixr1-1 G998D, and cesa6es20-r3 G935E into the cesa1mddi1-1 A903T background yields multiple-drugs resistant lines that maintain normal growth. These findings establish MDD, as a novel, natural CBI that likely targets CESA1, thereby extending our understanding of CSC regulation and abilities to develop multi-drugs resistant crop varieties. These findings offer new perspectives for weed management and plant biotechnology. Significance StatementCellulose, a fundamental structural component of plant cell walls, is synthesized by cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs) and represents a critical herbicide target. While synthetic cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors (CBIs) like isoxaben and quinoxyphen have helped in the elucidation of CSC function and aided in weed control, natural CBIs remain largely undiscovered. Here, we identify 8-methyldichlorodiaporthin (MDD), a fungal-derived isocoumarin natural product, as a CBI that inhibits plant growth by depleting CSCs from the plasma membrane. Genetic screens reveal MDD-resistant cesa1 mutations, and combining these with other CBI-resistant alleles yields multi-herbicide resistant plants that can grow normally. This research enhances our understanding of cellulose biosynthesis and paves the way for multi-herbicide resistant crops with agricultural benefits.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Connectome-based spatial statistics enabling large-scale population analyses of human connectome across cohorts

Large-scale population analyses of structural connectome organization remain challenging because of cross-subject alignment, pathway interpretability and computational burden. No widely adopted standard exists for systematic evaluation across processing methods. We developed connectome-based spatial statistics (CBSS), a scalable framework for anatomically aligned and functionally informed quantification of white-matter microstructure that yields atlas-defined pathways organized into 13 functional networks. Using data from 56,510 UK Biobank participants together with five independent lifespan cohorts, we evaluated the streamline-, voxel- and network-level measures in the aspects of reliability, heritability, structure-function coupling, cognitive and behavioral prediction, brain aging patterns and lifespan trajectories across cohorts. The systematic evaluation workflow compares population-level white-matter representations across methods, spatial scales, tasks and datasets. The results support CBSS as a common connectome reference for large-scale, cross-cohort diffusion MRI studies.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Novel Engineered AAV Variants Demonstrate Superior Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration and Safety in Non-Human Primates

Systemic delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) for gene therapy of central nervous system (CNS) disorders is limited by inefficient blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration and dose-limiting toxicity in peripheral organs, notably the liver and dorsal root ganglia (DRG)1-5. Here, we report the development of novel AAV variants via a proprietary capsid engineering platform (REACH). In non-human primates (NHPs), intravenous administration of lead variants resulted in transgene expression levels in the brain that were 600-2000 fold higher than AAV9 at the RNA level, concomitant with a 10-50 fold reduction in liver tropism and minimal off-target exposure in the heart and DRG. These engineered capsids achieve unprecedented, pan-CNS transduction with a markedly improved safety profile, representing a transformative platform for treating a broad spectrum of neurological diseases.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

ASFV early protein p30 suppresses antiviral type I IFN induction by targeting TRIM21 and RIG-I like receptor signaling adaptor MAVS

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly pathogenic disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection, which can affect pigs of all ages and breeds, posing significant threat to the global pig farming industry. The ASFV p30 protein is an early-expressed viral structural protein; however, its function is not fully understood. In this study, the interaction of viral p30 with host TRIM21 was identified. The ectopic TRIM21 inhibited ASFV replication, while knockdown or knockout of TRIM21 promoted ASFV replication. Further, p30 was found to interact with RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling adaptor MAVS, and during ASFV infection, p30-TRIM21-MAVS interacted with each other. Mechanistically, TRIM21 activated the K27 polyubiquitination of MAVS to induce IRF3 mediated type I interferon (IFN) production, whereas p30 counteracted TRIM21 activated MAVS K27 polyubiquitination to evade RLR signaling mediated antiviral IFN induction. In summary, our study revealed a novel function of ASFV p30, and provided new insights into the immune evasion of ASFV.

immunology↗