Background:The p17 protein of avian reovirus (ARV) encoded by the S1 gene is a CRM1-independent nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein that continuously shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Results: ARV p17 protein triggers PTEN, AMPK, and PKR/eIF2␣ signaling pathways to induce autophagy. Conclusion: ARV p17 protein functions as a positive regulator of autophagy. Significance: This is the first evidence that ARV p17 protein triggers autophagic pathways to induce autophagy-enhancing virus replication.

Avian reovirus (ARV) protein p17 has been shown to regulate cell cycle and autophagy by activation of p53/PTEN pathway; nevertheless, it is still unclear how p53 and PTEN are activated by p17. Here, we report for the first time that p17 functions as a nucleoporin Tpr suppressor that leads to p53 nuclear accumulation and consequently activates p53, p21, and PTEN. The nuclear localization signal (119IAAKRGRQLD128) of p17 has been identified for Tpr binding. This study has shown that Tpr suppression occurs by p17 interacting with Tpr and by reducing the transcription level of Tpr, which together inhibit Tpr function. In addition to upregulation of PTEN by activation of p53 pathway, this study also suggests that ARV protein p17 acts as a positive regulator of PTEN. ARV p17 stabilizes PTEN by stimulating phosphorylation of cytoplasmic PTEN and by elevating Rak-PTEN association to prevent it from E3 ligase NEDD4-1 targeting. To activate PTEN, p17 is able to promote β-arrestin-mediated PTEN translocation from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane via a Rock-1-dependent manner. The accumulation of p53 in the nucleus induces the PTEN- and p21-mediated downregulation of cyclin D1 and CDK4. Furthermore, Tpr and CDK4 knockdown increased virus production in contrast to depletion of p53, PTEN, and LC3 reducing virus yield. Taken together, our data suggest that p17-mediated Tpr suppression positively regulates p53, PTEN, and p21 and negatively regulates PI3K/AKT/mTOR and ERK signaling pathways, both of which are beneficial for virus replication.

The avian reovirus p17 protein is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein. Although we have demonstrated that p17 causes cell growth retardation via activation of p53, the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This is the first report that avian reovirus p17 possesses broad inhibitory effects on cell cycle CDKs, cyclins, CDK-cyclin complexes, and CDK-activating kinase activity in various mammalian, avian, and cancer cell lines. Suppression of CDK activity by p17 occurs by direct binding to CDKs, cyclins, and CDK-cyclin complexes; transcriptional down-regulation of CDKs; cytoplasmic retention of CDKs and cyclins; and inhibition of CDK-activating kinase activity by promoting p53-cyclin H interaction. p17 binds to CDK-cyclin except for CDK1-cyclin B1 and CDK7-cyclin H complexes. We have determined that the negatively charged LAVDVDA(E/D)DGADPN motif in cyclin B1 interacts with a positively charged region of CDK1. p17 mimics the cyclin B1 sequence to compete for CDK1 binding. The PSTAIRE motif is not required for interaction of CDK1-cyclin B1, but it is required for other CDK-cyclin complexes. p17 interacts with cyclins by its cyclin-binding motif, RL Sequence and mutagenic analyses of p17 indicated that a WFD motif and residues Asp-113 and Lys-122 in p17 are critical for CDK2 and CDK6 binding, leading to their sequestration in the cytoplasm. Exogenous expression of p17 significantly enhanced virus replication, whereas p17 mutants with low binding ability to cell cycle CDKs had no effect on virus yield, suggesting that p17 inhibits cell growth and the cell cycle, benefiting virus replication. An tumorigenesis assay also showed a significant reduction in tumor size.

Very little is known about the mechanism of cell entry of avian reovirus (ARV). The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism of ARV entry and subsequent infection. Cholesterol mainly affected the early steps of the ARV life cycle, because the presence of cholesterol before and during viral adsorption greatly blocked ARV infectivity. Although we have demonstrated that ARV facilitating p38 MAPK is beneficial for virus replication, its mechanism remains unknown. Here, we show that ARV-induced phosphorylation of caveolin-1 (Tyr 14 ), dynamin-2 expression, and Rac1 activation through activation of p38 MAPK and Src in the early stage of the virus life cycle is beneficial for virus entry and productive infection. The strong inhibition by dynasore, a specific inhibitor of dynamin-2, and depletion of endogenous caveolin-1 or dynamin-2 by siRNAs as well as the caveolin-1 colocalization study implicate caveolin-1-mediated and dynamin-2-dependent endocytosis as a significant avenue of ARV entry. By means of pharmacological inhibitors, dominant negative mutants, and siRNA of various cellular proteins and signaling molecules, phosphorylation of caveolin-1, dynamin-2 expression, and Rac1 activation were suppressed, suggesting that by orchestrating p38 MAPK, Src, and Rac1 signaling cascade in the target cells, ARV creates an appropriate intracellular environment facilitating virus entry and productive infection. Furthermore, disruption of microtubules, Rab5, or endosome acidification all inhibited ARV infection, suggesting that microtubules and small GTPase Rab5, which regulate transport to early endosome, are crucial for survival of ARV and that exposure of the virus to acidic pH is required for productive infection.

SummaryAlthough we have previously demonstrated that cell entry of bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) follows a clathrin-mediated and dynamin 2-dependent endocytosis pathway, the cellular mechanism mediating virus entry remains unknown. Here, we report that BEFV triggers simultaneously Src-JNK-AP1 and PI3K-Akt-NF-κB signalling pathways in the stage of virus binding to induce clathrin and dynamin 2 expressions, while vesicular stomatitis virus only activates Src-JNK signalling to enhance its entry. Activation of these pathways by ultraviolet-inactivated BEFV suggests a role for virus binding but not viral internalization and gene expression. By blocking these signalling pathways with specific inhibitors, BEFV-induced expressions of clathrin and dynamin 2 were significantly diminished. By labelling BEFV with 3,3′-dilinoleyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate to track viral entry, we found that virus entry was hindered by both Src and Akt inhibitors, suggesting that these signalling pathways are crucial for efficient virus entry. In addition, BEFV also triggers Cox-2-catalysed prostaglandin E 2 (PGE2) synthesis and induces expressions of G-protein-coupled E-prostanoid (EP) receptors 2 and 4, leading to amplify signal cascades of Src-JNK-AP1 and PI3K-Akt-NF-κB, which elevates both clathrin and dynamin 2 expressions. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with adenylate cyclase (cAMP) inhibitor SQ22536 reduced BEFV-induced Src phosphorylation as well as clathrin and dynamin 2 expressions. Our findings reveal for the first time that BEFV activates the Cox-2-mediated PGE 2/EP receptor signalling pathways, further enhancing Src-JNK-AP1 in a cAMP-dependent manner and PI3K-Akt-NF-κB in a cAMP-independent manner. Accordingly, BEFV stimulates PGE2/EP receptor signalling amplifying Src-JNK-AP1 and PI3K-Akt-NF-κB pathways in an autocrine or paracrine fashion to enhance virus entry.

The p17 protein of avian reovirus (ARV) causes cell cycle retardation in a variety of cell lines; however, the underlying mechanism(s) by which p17 regulates the cell cycle remains largely unknown. We demonstrate for the first time that p17 interacts with CDK1 and vimentin as revealed by reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that direct interaction of p17 and CDK1/vimentin was mapped within the amino terminus (aa 1–60) of p17 and central region (aa 27–118) of CDK1/vimentin. Furthermore, p17 was found to occupy the Plk1-binding site within the vimentin, thereby blocking Plk1 recruitment to CDK1-induced vimentin phosphorylation at Ser 56. Interaction of p17 to CDK1 or vimentin interferes with CDK1-catalyzed phosphorylation of vimentin at Ser 56 and subsequently vimentin phosphorylation at Ser 82 by Plk1. Furthermore, we have identified upstream signaling pathways and cellular factor(s) targeted by p17 and found that p17 regulates inhibitory phosphorylation of CDK1 and blocks vimentin phosphorylation at Ser 56 and Ser 82. The p17-mediated inactivation of CDK1 is dependent on several mechanisms, which include direct interaction with CDK1, p17-mediated suppression of Plk1 by activating the Tpr/p53 and ATM/Chk1/PP2A pathways, and p17-mediated cdc25C degradation via an ubiquitin- proteasome pathway. Additionally, depletion of p53 with a shRNA as well as inhibition of ATM and vimentin by inhibitors diminished virus yield while Tpr and CDK1 knockdown increased virus yield. Taken together, results demonstrate that p17 suppresses both CDK1 and Plk1functions, disrupts vimentin phosphorylation, causes G2/M cell cycle arrest and thus benefits virus replication.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an energy source for many types of viruses for facilitating virus replication. This is the first report to demonstrate that the structural protein σA of avian reovirus (ARV) functions as an activator of cellular energy. Three cellular factors, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3 subunit beta (IDH3B), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), and vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (vATPase) co-immunoprecipitated with ARV σA and were identified by 2D-LC/MS/MS. ARV enhances glycolytic flux through upregulation of glycolytic enzymes. Increased ATP levels in both ARV-infected and σA-transfected cells were observed by a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based genetically encoded indicator, Ateams. Furthermore, σA upregulates IDH3B and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) to promote glutaminolysis, activating HIF-1α. Both HIF-1α level and viral yield in IDH3B-depleted and glutamine-deprived cells, and inhibition of glutaminolysis was significantly reduced. The σA mutant loses its ability to enter the nucleolus, impairing its ability to regulate glycolysis. In addition, we have identified the conserved untranslated regions (UTR) of the 5'- and 3'-termini of the ARV genome segments that are required for viral protein synthesis in an ATP-dependent manner. Deletion of either the 5'- or 3'-UTR impaired viral protein synthesis. Knockdown of σA reduced the ATP level and significantly decreased virus yield, suggesting that σA enhances ATP formation to promote virus replication. Collectively, this study provides novel insights into σA-modulated suppression of LDHA and activation of IDH3B and GDH to activate the mTORC1/eIF4E/HIF-1α pathways to upregulate glycolysis and the TCA cycle for virus replication.

Avian reovirus (ARV) p17 protein continuously shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm via transcription-dependent and chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM1)-independent mechanisms. Nevertheless, whether cellular proteins modulate nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17 remains unknown. This is the first report that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1 serves as a carrier protein to modulate nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that direct interaction of p17 with hnRNP A1 maps within the amino terminus (amino acids [aa] 19 to 40) of p17 and the Gly-rich region of the C terminus of hnRNP A1. Furthermore, our results reveal that the formation of p17-hnRNP A1-transportin 1 carrier-cargo complex is required to modulate p17 nuclear import. Utilizing sequence and mutagenesis analyses, we have identified nuclear export signal (NES) 19 LSLRELAI 26 of p17. Mutations of these residues causes a nuclear retention of p17. In this work, we uncovered that the N-terminal 21 amino acids (aa 19 to 40) of p17 that comprise the NES can modulate both p17 and hnRNP A1 interaction and nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17. In this work, the interaction site of p17 with lamin A/C was mapped within the amino terminus (aa 41 to 60) of p17 and p17 colocalized with lamin A/C at the nuclear envelope. Knockdown of hnRNP A1 or lamin A/C led to inhibition of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17 and reduced virus yield. Collectively, the results of this study provide mechanistic insights into hnRNP A1 and lamin A/Cmodulated nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the ARV p17 protein.IMPORTANCE Avian reoviruses (ARVs) cause considerable economic losses in the poultry industry. The ARV p17 protein continuously shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm to regulate several cellular signaling pathways and interacts with several cellular proteins to cause translation shutoff, cell cycle arrest, and autophagosome formation, all of which enhance virus replication. To date the mechanisms underlying nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17 remain largely unknown. Here we report that hnRNP A1 and lamin A/C serve as carrier and mediator proteins to modulate nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17. The formation of p17-hnRNP A1-transportin 1 carrier-cargo complex is required to modulate p17 nuclear import. Furthermore, we have identified an NES-containing nucleocytoplasmic shuttling domain (aa 19 to 40) of p17 that is critical for binding to hnRNP A1 and for nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of p17. This study provides novel insights into how hnRNP A1 and lamin A/C modulate nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the ARV p17 protein. RESULTSCellular proteins hnRNP A1 and lamin A/C coimmunoprecipatate with p17. As shown previously, we identified several cellular proteins, such as nucleoporin Tpr, vimentin, and lamin A/C, that interact with the ARV p17 protein (27,28,30). To explore whether and how cellular proteins are involved in mediating nucleocytoplasmic shut-Chiu et al. FIG 1 p17 interacts with hnRNP A1. (A) Identification of poten...