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Break ins and break outs: viral interactions with the cytoskeleton of Mammalian cells

Gregory A Smith1, Lynn W Enquist

  • 1Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. g-smith3@northwestern.edu

Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|July 27, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Viruses utilize the host cell

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Virology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • The host cytoskeleton is crucial for viral life cycles.
  • Viruses exploit cytoskeletal components for infection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the multifaceted roles of the host cytoskeleton in viral infections.
  • To understand viral manipulation of cytoskeletal dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on virus-cytoskeleton interactions.
  • Analysis of viral strategies involving motor proteins and filament dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Viruses hijack motor proteins for intracellular transport during entry and egress.
  • Actin polymerization facilitates cell-to-cell viral spread.
  • Viruses can induce cytoskeletal filament destruction for efficient egress.

Conclusions:

  • Viral infection involves complex and diverse interactions with the host cytoskeleton.
  • Studying these interactions offers insights into virology, pathogenesis, and cytoskeletal biology.

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