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Microtubule Retrograde Motors and Their Role in Retroviral Transport

Gianfranco Pietrantoni1, Rodrigo Ibarra-Karmy1, Gloria Arriagada1

  • 1Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile.

Viruses
|April 30, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Retroviruses use host cell microtubules for transport. Different retroviruses have unique strategies to hijack microtubule-associated proteins for moving their DNA to the nucleus for integration.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Retroviruses replicate by reverse transcribing their RNA genome into double-stranded DNA (dsDNA).
  • This viral dsDNA must be transported to the host cell nucleus within a preintegration complex (PIC) for chromosomal integration.
  • Cytoplasmic transport of the PIC is a critical step in the retroviral life cycle.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diverse mechanisms retroviruses employ for PIC retrograde trafficking.
  • To highlight how retroviruses subvert host cell machinery for nuclear import.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of retroviral trafficking mechanisms.
  • Analysis of host-cell cytoskeleton interactions, specifically microtubules.
  • Examination of microtubule-associated motor proteins (dynein and kinesin) in viral transport.

Main Results:

  • Retroviruses utilize the host cell's microtubule network for intracellular transport.
  • Viral PICs are trafficked along microtubules using motor proteins like dynein and kinesin.
  • Each retrovirus species has evolved distinct strategies to interact with and exploit these host proteins.

Conclusions:

  • Microtubule-based transport is essential for retroviral nuclear import.
  • Retroviruses exhibit remarkable adaptability in hijacking host cell transport systems.
  • Understanding these mechanisms offers potential targets for antiviral therapies.
Keywords:
dyneinmicrotubulesretrovirusestraffic

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