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Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes: A Functional Genomics Tool for the Study of Positive-strand RNA Viruses
Published on: December 29, 2015
(+)RNA viruses rewire cellular pathways to build replication organelles
George A Belov1, Frank J M van Kuppeveld
1Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. gbelov@umd.edu
Current Opinion in Virology
|October 6, 2012
Summary
Positive-strand RNA viruses hijack cellular membranes for replication. These viruses remodel host cell membranes, creating complex replication organelles with unique structures and compositions.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Positive-strand RNA [(+)RNA] viruses rely on host cell membranes for genome replication.
- These viruses form membranous replication organelles with conserved architectures across different (+)RNA viruses.
- Understanding the interplay between viral replication and host membrane metabolism is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of host factors and pathways in the formation of viral replication organelles.
- To elucidate the ultrastructure and spatial organization of these replication membranes.
- To understand how (+)RNA viruses manipulate cellular membrane composition.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies on host factors and pathways involved in viral replication organelle formation.
- Analysis of electron tomography data to determine the ultrastructure of replication organelles.
- Integration of findings to understand viral-induced membrane remodeling.
Main Results:
- Significant progress has been made in identifying key host factors and pathways utilized by (+)RNA viruses.
- Electron tomography reveals intricate ultrastructural details of replication organelles.
- These organelles exhibit complex spatial organization and are actively modified by the virus.
Conclusions:
- (+)RNA viruses actively alter cellular membrane composition to construct their replication organelles.
- The spatial organization of viral replication membranes is unexpectedly complex.
- Targeting conserved eukaryotic membrane metabolism control mechanisms is a common viral strategy.
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