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Updated: May 10, 2026
11:53
Substrate Generation for Endonucleases of CRISPR/Cas Systems
Published on: September 8, 2012
Functional interplay between a virus and the ESCRT machinery in archaea
Jamie C Snyder1, Rachel Y Samson, Susan K Brumfield
1Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
Summary
Viruses, like Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus, hijack cellular Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) machinery for replication. Disrupting ESCRT prevents viral infection, revealing ancient host-virus interactions.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Eukaryotic viruses utilize the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) machinery for egress.
- The ESCRT apparatus is conserved in Archaea, playing roles in cellular processes like cytokinesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the ESCRT machinery in the replication cycle of the archaeal virus Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV).
- To determine if STIV exploits the host ESCRT system for its replication and egress.
Main Methods:
- Studying STIV isolated from acidic hot springs.
- Perturbing the host ESCRT function in Sulfolobus.
- Observing the effects on viral replication and infection establishment.
Main Results:
- STIV exploits the host ESCRT machinery during its replication cycle.
- Disruption of ESCRT function abrogates STIV replication and prevents productive infection.
- The ESCRT machinery is implicated in viral assembly and a unique lysis-mediated escape mechanism.
Conclusions:
- The archaeal ESCRT machinery is essential for STIV replication and egress.
- This study supports an ancient origin for viruses hijacking ESCRT proteins.
- Identifies a conserved host-virus interaction across two domains of life.
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