Comparative analyses of alphaviral RNA:Protein complexes reveals conserved host-pathogen interactions.

The identification of host / pathogen interactions is essential to both understanding the molecular biology of infection and developing rational intervention strategies to overcome disease. Alphaviruses, such as Sindbis virus, Chikungunya virus, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus are medically relevant positive-sense RNA viruses. As such, they must interface with the host machinery to complete their infectious lifecycles.

Identification and Characterization of Sindbis Virus RNA-Host Protein Interactions.

Arthropod-borne viruses, such as the members of the genus , are a significant concern to global public health. As obligate intracellular pathogens, RNA viruses must interact with the host cell machinery to establish and complete their life cycles. Despite considerable efforts to define the host-pathogen interactions essential for alphaviral replication, an unbiased and inclusive assessment of alphaviral RNA-protein interactions has not been undertaken.

Identification of Interactions between Sindbis Virus Capsid Protein and Cytoplasmic vRNA as Novel Virulence Determinants.

Alphaviruses are arthropod-borne viruses that represent a significant threat to public health at a global level. While the formation of alphaviral nucleocapsid cores, consisting of cargo nucleic acid and the viral capsid protein, is an essential molecular process of infection, the precise interactions between the two partners are ill-defined. A CLIP-seq approach was used to screen for candidate sites of interaction between the viral Capsid protein and genomic RNA of Sindbis virus (SINV), a model alphavirus.

Alphavirus RNA synthesis and non-structural protein functions.

The members of the genus Alphavirus are positive-sense RNA viruses, which are predominantly transmitted to vertebrates by a mosquito vector. Alphavirus disease in humans can be severely debilitating, and depending on the particular viral species, infection may result in encephalitis and possibly death. In recent years, alphaviruses have received significant attention from public health authorities as a consequence of the dramatic emergence of chikungunya virus in the Indian Ocean islands and the Caribbean.