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Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Affinity Purification of Influenza Virus Ribonucleoprotein Complexes from the Chromatin of Infected Cells
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Published on: June 3, 2012

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PABP1 Drives the Selective Translation of Influenza A Virus mRNA

Cyrus M de Rozières1, Alberto Pequeno1, Shandy Shahabi1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0314, USA.

Journal of Molecular Biology
|January 25, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Influenza A virus (IAV) evades host defenses by hijacking the human polyadenylate binding protein 1 (PABP1). This interaction enhances viral mRNA translation, promoting IAV replication during infection.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Influenza A virus (IAV) causes significant global health burdens through seasonal epidemics and pandemics.
  • IAV infection inhibits host mRNA translation while efficiently translating its own viral mRNAs.
  • IAV mRNAs possess a conserved 5'-untranslated region (5'UTR) rich in adenosine residues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism by which IAV achieves efficient translation during host shutoff.
  • To determine the role of the IAV 5'UTR in viral mRNA translation.
  • To identify host factors interacting with the IAV 5'UTR and their functional consequences.

Main Methods:

  • Biochemical assays to detect binding of human polyadenylate binding protein 1 (PABP1) to the IAV 5'UTR.
  • Translation assays comparing viral and model mRNAs in the presence of PABP1.
  • Investigating the recruitment of translation initiation factors (eIF4G, eIF4E) by PABP1-bound viral 5'UTR.

Main Results:

  • Human PABP1 binds specifically to the adenosine-rich 5'UTR of IAV mRNAs.
  • PABP1 binding confers resistance to cap-dependent translation inhibition on viral mRNAs.
  • PABP1 facilitates eIF4G recruitment to viral mRNAs in an eIF4E-independent manner.

Conclusions:

  • PABP1 interaction with the IAV 5'UTR is a key mechanism for efficient viral translation.
  • This interaction promotes cap-independent translation initiation, bypassing host shutoff.
  • Targeting the PABP1-IAV 5'UTR interaction could be a strategy for antiviral development.
Keywords:
RT-qPCRanisotropyeukaryotic initiation factor 4Gimmunoprecipitationpoly(A) binding protein

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