Rab27a promotes degradation of West Nile virus E protein in the lysosome.

Rab27a, a Rab family small GTPases, plays an important role in the trafficking and secretion of the intracellular proteins and has been reported to promote various viral multiplication. However, whether Rab27a is involved in West Nile virus (WNV) multiplication is unknown. This study examined the ability of Rab27a to suppress WNV multiplication.

Development of recombinant West Nile virus expressing mCherry reporter protein.

West Nile virus (WNV) is transmitted to humans and animals by a mosquito and enters the central nervous system, leading to lethal encephalitis. Reporter viruses expressing fluorescent proteins enable detection of infected cells in vitro and in vivo, facilitating evaluation of the dynamics of viral infection, and the development of diagnostic or therapeutic methods. In this study, we developed a method for production of a recombinant replication-competent WNV expressing mCherry fluorescent protein.