Work

The autophagy machinery is required to initiate hepatitis C virus replication

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: In addition to its cellular homeostasis function, autophagy is emerging as a central component of antimicrobial host defense against diverse infections. To counteract this mechanism, many pathogens have evolved to evade, subvert, or exploit autophagy. Here, we report that autophagy proteins (i.e., Beclin-1, Atg4B, Atg5, and Atg12) are proviral factors required for translation of incoming hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and, thereby, for initiation of HCV replication, but they are not required once infection is established. These results illustrate a previously unappreciated role for autophagy in the establishment of a viral infection and they suggest that different host factors regulate the translation of incoming viral genome and translation of progeny HCV RNA once replication is established.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0907344106

Authors: Marlène Dreux, Pablo Gastaminza, Stefan F. Wieland, Francis V. Chisari

Institution: Scripps Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Hepatitis C virus research

Subfield: Hepatology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases