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Membranous replication factories induced by plus-strand RNA viruses
Inés Romero-Brey1, Ralf Bartenschlager2
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. ines_romero-brey@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
Viruses
|July 24, 2014
Summary
Plus-strand RNA viruses form membrane-bound replication factories. Two main types of membrane rearrangements, invaginations and double-membrane vesicles originating from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), are observed in flaviviruses and hepaciviruses.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Plus-strand (+) RNA viruses replicate within specialized cellular compartments.
- Membrane rearrangements are crucial for viral replication factories.
- Recent advances in electron tomography have improved visualization of these structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on membranous replication factories of plus-strand (+) RNA viruses.
- To discuss the architecture of these complex membrane rearrangements.
- To hypothesize common principles underlying the formation of viral replication compartments.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature.
- Analysis of structural data from electron tomography studies.
- Comparative analysis of membrane alterations in different virus families.
Main Results:
- Two primary "morphotypes" of membrane alterations are identified: lumenal membrane invaginations and double-membrane vesicles.
- These structures originate from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
- Flaviviruses and hepaciviruses serve as key examples for these morphotypes.
Conclusions:
- The observed morphotypes likely represent common strategies for forming viral replication compartments.
- Understanding these membrane rearrangements is key to understanding viral replication.
- Further research using advanced imaging techniques will elucidate common pathways.
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