Rab22a cooperates with Rab5 and NS4B in classical swine fever virus entry process

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is an ancient and economically important flavivirus that utilizes a Rab5-dependent endocytic pathway to enter host cells. Rab22a is a small GTPase that cooperates with Rab5 in the regulation of early endosome dynamics. Until now, the role of Rab22a in the flavivirus life cycle has been poorly defined. In this study, we systematically analyzed the role of Rab22a in CSFV proliferation and internalization using multiple viral replication analyses in combination with the overexpression, knockdown, and mutation of Rab22a, and found that Rab22a is involved in the entry process of CSFV. Confocal microscopy results showed that Rab22a colocalized with virus particles during the early phase of infection. Furthermore, by using glutathione S-transferase pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays, we verified the interaction between Rab22a and CSFV non-structural protein NS4B, and determined that NS4B can only bind to wild-type Rab22a, but not to the mutants Q64L and S19N. In addition, we explored the relationship between Rab22a, Rab5 and NS4B in CSFV internalization, and found out that these three proteins bind in early endosomes, and then through a Rab22a-Rab5-NS4B cascade allows the entry of CSFV. Taken together, our findings highlight the role of Rab proteins in CSFV internalization, and extend the understanding of the life cycle of flaviviruses.