Work

Herpesviruses use bidirectional fast-axonal transport to spread in sensory neurons

Year: 2001

Type: article

Abstract: Alpha herpesviruses infect the vertebrate nervous system resulting in either mild recurrent lesions in mucosal epithelia or fatal encephalitis. Movement of virions within the nervous system is a critical factor in the outcome of infection; however, the dynamics of individual virion transport have never been assessed. Here we visualized and tracked individual viral capsids as they moved in axons away from infected neuronal cell bodies in culture. The observed movement was compatible with fast axonal flow mediated by multiple microtubule motors. Capsids accumulated at axon terminals, suggesting that spread from infected neurons required cell contact.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.061029798

Authors: Gregory A. Smith, Steven P. Gross, Lynn W. Enquist

Institutions: Princeton University, University of California, Irvine

Language: English

Topic: Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Eli Lilly and Company, Johns Hopkins University, Life Sciences Research Foundation