Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) modify host proteins to evade the antiviral defense and sustain viral expansion. Here, we report tonicity-responsive enhancer (TonE) binding protein (TonEBP) as a cellular target of HCoVs. TonEBP was cleaved into N-terminal and C-terminal fragments (TonEBP NT and TonEBP CT, respectively) by NSP5 from all the HCoVs tested. This cleavage resulted in the loss of TonEBP’s ability to stimulate the TonE-driven transcription. On the other hand, TonEBP NT promoted viral expansion in association with the suppression of IFN-β expression. TonEBP NT competed away NF-κB binding to the PRD II domain on the IFN-β promoter. A TonEBP mutant resistant to the cleavage by NSP5 did not promote the viral expansion nor suppress the IFN-β expression. These results demonstrate that HCoVs use a common strategy of targeting TonEBP to suppress the host immune defense.
Source: Cells
Authors: Hyun Park, Sang Min Lee, Su Ji Jeong, Yeong Cheon Kweon, Go Woon Shin, Whi Young Kim, Whaseon Lee-Kwon, Chan Young Park, Hyug Moo Kwon
Institution: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,069
OpenAlex ID: W4402868653