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Updated: May 15, 2026

Highly Sensitive Assay for Measurement of Arenavirus-cell Attachment
Published on: March 2, 2016
Membrane localization of Junín virus glycoproteins requires cholesterol and cholesterol rich membranes
Sandra M Cordo1, Ayelén Valko, Guadalupe M Martinez
1Laboratorio de Virología, Departamento de Química Biológica, IQUIBICEN, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UBA, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, Piso 4, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Abstract:
Arenavirus morphogenesis and budding occurs at cellular plasma membrane; however, the nature of membrane assembly sites remains poorly understood. In this study we examined the effect of different cholesterol-lowering agents on Junín virus (JUNV) multiplication. We found that cholesterol cell depletion reduced JUNV glycoproteins (GPs) membrane expression and virus budding. Analysis of membrane protein insolubility in Triton X-100 suggested that JUNV GPs associate with cholesterol enriched membranes. Rafts dissociation conditions as warm detergent extraction and cholesterol removal by methyl-β-cyclodextrin compound showed to impair GPs cholesterol enriched membrane association. Analysis of GPs transfected cells showed similar results suggesting that membrane raft association is independent of other viral proteins.
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