The cytoplasmic replication of positive-sense RNA viruses is associated with a dramatic rearrangement of host cellular membranes. These virus-induced changes result in the induction of vesicular structures that envelop the virus replication complex (RC). In this study, we have extended our previous observations on the intracellular location of West Nile virus strain Kunjin virus (WNV KUN ) to show that the virus-induced recruitment of host proteins and membrane appears to occur at a pre-Golgi step. To visualize the WNV KUN replication complex, we performed three-dimensional (3D) modeling on tomograms from WNV KUN replicontransfected cells. These analyses have provided a 3D representation of the replication complex, revealing the open access of the replication complex with the cytoplasm and the fluidity of the complex to the rough endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, we provide data that indicate that a majority of the viral RNA species housed within the RC is in a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) form.West Nile virus (WNV) belongs to the Flaviviridae, which is a large family of enveloped, positive-strand RNA viral pathogens that are responsible for causing severe disease and mortality in humans and animals each year. The Australian WNV strain Kunjin virus (WNV KUN ) is a relatively low-pathogenic virus that is closely related to the pathogenic WNV strain New York 99 (WNV NY99 ), the causative agent of the 1999 epidemic of encephalitis in New York City (11).It has become increasingly known that the replication of most, if not all, positive-sense RNA viruses, whether they infect plants, insects, or humans, is associated with dramatic membrane alterations resulting in the formation of membranous microenvironments that facilitate efficient virus replication. In most cases the induced membrane structures house the actively replicating viral RNA and comprise 70-to 100-nm membrane "vesicles" (sometimes referred to as spherules). Although this distinct morphology is shared across virus families, the cellular origins of these membranes is diverse: the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, peroxisomes, and trans-Golgi membranes have been implicated in different viral systems (1,8,13,23,31,38,41,45). This diversity implies that the processes involved in inducing the membrane vesicles/ spherules are shared, rather than the composition of the membrane itself, although the exact purpose for utilizing membranes derived from different cellular compartments is still not completely resolved or understood.The replication of the flavivirus WNV KUN is associated with the induction of morphologically distinct membrane structures that have defined roles during the WNV KUN replication cycle. Three well-defined structures can be seen as large convoluted membranes (CM), paracrystalline arrays (PC), or membrane sacs containing small vesicles, termed vesicle packets (VP) (18,20,48). Based on localization studies with viral proteins of specific functions, we observed that components of the virus protease complex (namely, nonstructural protein...

Airway epithelial cells are susceptible to infection with seasonal influenza A viruses (IAV), resulting in productive virus replication and release. Macrophages (M⌽) are also permissive to IAV infection; however, virus replication is abortive. Currently, it is unclear how productive infection of M⌽ is impaired or the extent to which seasonal IAV replicate in M⌽. Herein, we compared mouse M⌽ and epithelial cells for their ability to support genomic replication and transcription, synthesis of viral proteins, assembly of virions, and release of infectious progeny following exposure to genetically defined IAV. We confirm that seasonal IAV differ in their ability to utilize cell surface receptors for infectious entry and that this represents one level of virus restriction. Following virus entry, we demonstrate synthesis of all eight segments of genomic viral RNA (vRNA) and mRNA, as well as seven distinct IAV proteins, in IAV-infected mouse M⌽. Although newly synthesized hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) glycoproteins are incorporated into the plasma membrane and expressed at the cell surface, electron microscopy confirmed that virus assembly was defective in IAV-infected M⌽, defining a second level of restriction late in the virus life cycle. IMPORTANCE Seasonal influenza A viruses (IAV) and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI) infect macrophages, but only HPAIreplicate productively in these cells. Herein, we demonstrate that impaired virus uptake into macrophages represents one level of restriction limiting infection by seasonal IAV. Following uptake, seasonal IAV do not complete productive replication in macrophages, representing a second level of restriction. Using murine macrophages, we demonstrate that productive infection is blocked late in the virus life cycle, such that virus assembly is defective and newly synthesized virions are not released. These studies represent an important step toward identifying host-encoded factors that block replication of seasonal IAV, but not HPAI, in macrophages. In humans, infection with seasonal influenza A viruses (IAV) is generally restricted to the respiratory tract. IAV infection of airway epithelial cells (AEC) is initiated following recognition of cell surface sialic acid (SIA) by the viral hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein (reviewed in reference 1). In addition to HA-SIA binding, it is likely that particular membrane-associated glycoproteins and/or glycolipids facilitate virus entry into AEC; however, the identity of such an entry receptor(s) is currently unknown. IAV infection of AEC results in productive virus replication, characterized by synthesis of viral RNA (vRNA) and mRNA, production of viral proteins, virion assembly, and budding of viral progeny from the surfaces of infected cells. Productive infection of AEC results in amplification of IAV in the airways, promoting virus dissemination and disease.In addition to AEC, macrophages (M⌽) are one of the first cells in the respiratory tract to detect and respond to IAV. As for AEC, binding ...

Human noroviruses (family Caliciviridae) are the leading cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Although Human noroviruses are significant enteric pathogens, there exists no reliable vaccine or therapy to treat infected individuals. To date, attempts to cultivate Human noroviruses within the laboratory have met with little success; however, the related murine norovirus mouse norovirus 1 (MNV-1) has provided an ideal model system to study norovirus replication due to the ease with which the virus is cultivated and the ability to infect a small animal model with this virus. Previously we have identified the association between MNV-1 and components of the host secretory pathway and proposed a role for the viral open reading frame 1 proteins in the replication cycle. Here we describe for the first time a role for cytoskeletal components in early MNV-1 replication events. We show that the MNV-1 utilizes microtubules to position the replication complex adjacent to the microtubule organizing center. Chemical disruption of the microtubule network disperses the sites of MNV-1 replication throughout the cell and impairs production of viral protein and infectious virus. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability of MNV-1 to redistribute acetylated tubulin to the replication complex and that this association is potentially mediated via the MNV-1 major structural protein, VP1. Transient expression of MNV-1 VP1 exhibited extensive colocalization with both ␣-tubulin and acetylated tubulin and was observed to alter the distribution of acetylated tubulin in transfected cells. This study highlights the role of the cytoskeleton in early virus replication events and demonstrates the importance of this interaction in establishing the intracellular location of MNV-1 replication complexes.