Affiliation:
1. School of Life Science, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
Abstract
ABSTRACT
An Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus-encoded microRNA (miRNA), AcMNPV-miR-1, downregulates the
ac94
gene, reducing the production of infectious budded virions and accelerating the formation of occlusion-derived virions. In the current study, four viruses that constitutively overexpress AcMNPV-miR-1 were constructed to further explore the function of the miRNA. In addition to the
ac94
gene, two new viral gene targets (
ac18
and
ac95
) of AcMNPV-miR-1 were identified, and the possible interacting proteins were verified and tested. In the context of AcMNPV-miR-1 overexpression,
ac18
was slightly upregulated, and
ac95
was downregulated. Several interacting proteins were identified, and a functional pathway for AcMNPV-miR-1 was deduced. AcMNPV-miR-1 overexpression decreased budded virus infectivity, reduced viral DNA replication, accelerated polyhedron formation, and promoted viral infection efficiency in
Trichoplusia ni
larvae, suggesting that AcMNPV-miR-1 restrains virus infection of cells but facilitates virus infection of larvae.
IMPORTANCE
Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely reported as moderators or regulators of mammalian cellular processes, especially disease-related pathways in humans. However, the roles played by miRNAs encoded by baculoviruses, which infect numerous beneficial insects and agricultural pests, have rarely been described. To explore the actions of virus-encoded miRNAs, we investigated an miRNA encoded by Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV-miR-1). We previously identified this miRNA through the exogenous addition of AcMNPV-miR-1 mimics. In the current study, we constitutively overexpressed AcMNPV-miR-1 and analyzed the resultant effects to more comprehensively assess what is indeed the function of this miRNA during viral infection. In addition, we widely explored the target genes for the miRNA in the viral and host genomes and proposed a possible functional network for AcMNPV-miR-1, which provides a better general understanding of virus-encoded miRNAs. In brief, our study implied that AcMNPV-miR-1 constrains viral replication and cellular infection but enhances larval infection.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Virology,Insect Science,Immunology,Microbiology
Cited by
21 articles.
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