Influenza virus ribonucleoprotein complex formation occurs in the nucleolus

Abstract Influenza A virus double-helical ribonucleoprotein complex (vRNP) performs transcription and replication of viral genomic RNA (vRNA). Unlike most RNA viruses, vRNP formation accompanied by vRNA replication is carried out in the nucleus of virus-infected cell. However, the precise subnuclear...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inbioRxiv
Main Authors Miyamoto, Sho, Nakano, Masahiro, Morikawa, Takeshi, Hirabayashi, Ai, Tamura, Ryoma, Fujita, Yoko, Hirose, Nanami, Muramoto, Yukiko, Noda, Takeshi
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Japanese
Published Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 24.02.2021
Subjects
Influenza
Influenza A
Life cycles
Localization
Nucleoli
Replication
RNA viruses
Transcription
Viruses
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Summary:Abstract Influenza A virus double-helical ribonucleoprotein complex (vRNP) performs transcription and replication of viral genomic RNA (vRNA). Unlike most RNA viruses, vRNP formation accompanied by vRNA replication is carried out in the nucleus of virus-infected cell. However, the precise subnuclear site remains unknown. Here, we report the subnuclear site of vRNP formation in influenza virus. We found that all vRNP components were colocalized in the nucleolus of virus-infected cells at early stage of infection. Mutational analysis showed that nucleolar localization of viral nucleoprotein, a major vRNP component, is critical for functional double-helical vRNP formation. Furthermore, nucleolar disruption of virus-infected cells inhibited vRNP component assembly into double-helical vRNPs, resulting in decreased vRNA transcription and replication. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the vRNA replication-coupled vRNP formation occurs in the nucleolus, demonstrating the importance of the nucleolus for influenza virus life cycle. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
DOI:10.1101/2021.02.24.432647