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Viral pathogenesis

Death by viroporin

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 5, page 907 (2007)Cite this article

Viroporins are present in tiny amounts in the virions of most enveloped animal RNA viruses. Examples include Sindbis virus 6K protein, influenza A virus M2 protein, poliovirus 2B and 3A proteins, mouse hepatitis virus E protein, HIV Vpu and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus E protein. These small (around 100 amino acids), extremely hydrophobic proteins oligomerize to form pores in host-cell membranes through which viruses can bud. Viroporins contribute to the pathology of disease by altering membrane permeability and disrupting ion homeostasis in cells.

Inspection of the structural features and hydrophobicity profiles of small proteins encoded by HCV revealed two candidate viroporins, NS4A and p7. Using an expression system that was based on Sindbis virus to mimic the expression of viroporins during infection, the comparative effects of selected viroporins — Sindbis virus 6K protein, influenza A virus M2 protein, poliovirus 2B and 3A proteins, mouse hepatitis virus E protein and HCV p7 and NS4A proteins — on baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells was evaluated. On expression, each protein that was tested altered membrane permeability, which confirmed that these proteins are bona fide viroporins.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Madan, V., Castello, A. & Carrasco, L. Viroporins from RNA viruses induce caspase-dependent apoptosis. Cell. Microbiol. 25 Oct 2007 (doi 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2007.01057.x)

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Authors
  1. Susan Jones
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Jones, S. Death by viroporin. Nat Rev Microbiol 5, 907 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1801

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1801

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