Early Bunyavirus-Host Cell Interactions.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Molecular Biology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Bunyaviridae is the largest RNA virus family, with over 350 members.
• Bunyaviruses cause severe diseases in livestock and humans, posing a growing public health and agricultural threat.
• Early infection steps, including cellular entry mechanisms, are largely uncharacterized for most bunyaviruses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on the early steps of Bunyaviridae infection.
• To summarize advances in understanding virus receptors, cellular uptake, and intracellular trafficking for Bunyaviridae members.
• To highlight knowledge gaps regarding the molecular mechanisms of bunyavirus entry.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of published research on Bunyaviridae.
• Analysis of studies focusing on virus-receptor interactions.
• Examination of research on endocytic pathways utilized by bunyaviruses.

Main Results:

• Bunyavirus entry involves diverse receptors and cellular factors across different genera.
• Endocytic pathways, including clathrin-mediated and other routes, are crucial for bunyavirus internalization.
• Intracellular trafficking and fusion mechanisms vary, but generally lead to the release of the viral genome into the cytoplasm.

Conclusions:

• Understanding bunyavirus entry mechanisms is critical for developing antiviral strategies.
• Further research is needed to fully characterize receptors and pathways for all Bunyaviridae genera.
• This review consolidates current knowledge, providing a foundation for future investigations into bunyavirus pathogenesis.