Special Issue "Host Membranes and Virus Infection Cycle"

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 December 2023 | Viewed by 1952

Special Issue Editor

Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
Interests: herpesviruses; entry mechanisms; egress mechanisms; glycoproteins; structure; membrane manipulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to compartmentalization, eukaryotic cells present many barriers to viral replication. Unsurprisingly, viruses are experts at manipulating cellular membranes to their advantage. Viruses deform or breach membranes to get into and out of the target cells, remodel cellular compartments during replication, and use membranes as sites of genome replication or virion assembly. Such changes—be they localized and subtle or global and dramatic—are a testament to the impressive ability of the viruses to interact with host membranes and reshape them to suit their needs.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent progress in our understanding of how viruses interact with and alter host membranes.

Prof. Dr. Ekaterina (Katya) Heldwein
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • membranes
  • lipids
  • budding
  • fusion
  • replication
  • entry
  • egress
  • compartments
  • traffic
  • assembly

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Article
Influenza A Virus Infection Alters Lipid Packing and Surface Electrostatic Potential of the Host Plasma Membrane
Viruses 2023, 15(9), 1830; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15091830 - 29 Aug 2023
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Abstract
The pathogenesis of influenza A viruses (IAVs) is influenced by several factors, including IAV strain origin and reassortment, tissue tropism and host type. While such factors were mostly investigated in the context of virus entry, fusion and replication, little is known about the [...] Read more.
The pathogenesis of influenza A viruses (IAVs) is influenced by several factors, including IAV strain origin and reassortment, tissue tropism and host type. While such factors were mostly investigated in the context of virus entry, fusion and replication, little is known about the viral-induced changes to the host lipid membranes which might be relevant in the context of virion assembly. In this work, we applied several biophysical fluorescence microscope techniques (i.e., Förster energy resonance transfer, generalized polarization imaging and scanning fluorescence correlation spectroscopy) to quantify the effect of infection by two IAV strains of different origin on the plasma membrane (PM) of avian and human cell lines. We found that IAV infection affects the membrane charge of the inner leaflet of the PM. Moreover, we showed that IAV infection impacts lipid–lipid interactions by decreasing membrane fluidity and increasing lipid packing. Because of such alterations, diffusive dynamics of membrane-associated proteins are hindered. Taken together, our results indicate that the infection of avian and human cell lines with IAV strains of different origins had similar effects on the biophysical properties of the PM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host Membranes and Virus Infection Cycle)
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Article
Global Lipidome Profiling Revealed Multifaceted Role of Lipid Species in Hepatitis C Virus Replication, Assembly, and Host Antiviral Response
Viruses 2023, 15(2), 464; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020464 - 07 Feb 2023
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen that requires a better understanding of its interaction with host cells. There is a close association of HCV life cycle with host lipid metabolism. Lipid droplets (LDs) have been found to be crucial organelles [...] Read more.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen that requires a better understanding of its interaction with host cells. There is a close association of HCV life cycle with host lipid metabolism. Lipid droplets (LDs) have been found to be crucial organelles that support HCV replication and virion assembly. In addition to their role in replication, LDs also have protein-mediated antiviral properties that are activated during HCV infection. Studies have shown that HCV replicates well in cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich membranes, but the ways in which HCV alters host cell lipid dynamics are not yet known. In this study, we performed a kinetic study to check the enrichment of LDs at different time points of HCV infection. Based on the LD enrichment results, we selected early and later time points of HCV infection for global lipidomic study. Early infection represents the window period for HCV sensing and host immune response while later infection represents the establishment of viral RNA replication, virion assembly, and egress. We identified the dynamic profile of lipid species at early and later time points of HCV infection by global lipidomic study using mass spectrometry. At early HCV infection, phosphatidylinositol phospholipids (PIPs), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), triacyl glycerols (TAG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and trihexosylceramides (Hex3Cer) were observed to be enriched. Similarly, free fatty acids (FFA), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPE), and tri acylglycerols were enriched at later time points of HCV infection. Lipids enriched at early time of infection may have role in HCV sensing, viral attachment, and immune response as LPA and PIPs are important for immune response and viral attachment, respectively. Moreover, lipid species observed at later infection may contribute to HCV replication and virion assembly as PE, FFA, and triacylglycerols are known for the similar function. In conclusion, we identified lipid species that exhibited dynamic profile across early and later time points of HCV infection compared to mock cells, which could be therapeutically relevant in the design of more specific and effective anti-viral therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host Membranes and Virus Infection Cycle)
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