Characterization and functional interrogation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA interactome

Labeau, A.; Lefevre-Utile, A.; Bonnet-Madin, L.; Fery-Simonian, L.; Soumelis, V.; Lotteau, V.; Vidalain, P.-O.; Amara, A.; Meertens, L.

doi:10.1101/2021.03.23.436611

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.03.23.436611

Characterization and functional interrogation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA interactome

Labeau, A.·Lefevre-Utile, A.·Bonnet-Madin, L.·Fery-Simonian, L.·Soumelis, V.·Lotteau, V.·Vidalain, P.-O.·Amara, A.·Meertens, L.

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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused a devastating global health crisis. The emergence of highly transmissible novel viral strains that escape neutralizing responses emphasizes the urgent need to deepen our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 biology and to develop additional therapeutic strategies. Using a comprehensive identification of RNA binding proteins (RBP) by mass spectrometry (ChIRP-M/S) approach, we identified 142 high-confidence cellular factors that bind the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome during infection. By systematically knocking down their expression in a human lung epithelial cell line, we found that the majority of the RBPs identified in our study are proviral factors that regulate SARS-CoV-2 genome replication. We showed that some of these proteins represented drug targets of interest for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive view of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA interactome during infection and highlights candidates for host-centered antiviral therapies.

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Labeau, A., Lefevre-Utile, A., Bonnet-Madin, L., Fery-Simonian, L., Soumelis, V., Lotteau, V., Vidalain, P.-O., Amara, A., Meertens, L.. 2021-03-23. Characterization and functional interrogation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA interactome. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.23.436611

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