title: Ebolavirus proteins suppress the effects of small interfering RNA by direct interaction with the mammalian RNA interference pathway.
abstract: Cellular RNA interference (RNAi) provides a natural response against viral infection, but some viruses have evolved mechanisms to antagonize this form of antiviral immunity. To determine whether Ebolavirus (EBOV) counters RNAi by encoding suppressors of RNA silencing (SRSs), we screened all EBOV proteins using an RNAi assay initiated by exogenously delivered small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against either an EBOV or a reporter gene. In addition to viral protein 35 (VP35), we found that VP30 and VP40 independently act as SRSs. Here, we present the molecular mechanisms of VP30 and VP35. VP30 interacts with Dicer independently of siRNA and with one Dicer partner, TRBP, only in the presence of siRNA. VP35 directly interacts with Dicer partners TRBP and PACT in an siRNA-independent fashion and in the absence of effects on interferon (IFN). Taken together, our findings elucidate a new mechanism of RNAi suppression that extends beyond the role of SRSs in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) binding and IFN antagonism. The presence of three suppressors highlights the relevance of host RNAi-dependent antiviral immunity in EBOV infection and illustrates the importance of RNAi in shaping the evolution of RNA viruses.
authors.affiliation: Biodefense Research Section, Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Vaccine Research Center, 40 Convent Drive, Bldg. 40/2509, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabozzi
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Nabel
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D057131:Immune Evasion; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; C479897:VP30 protein, ebola virus; C080980:VP35 protein, filovirus; C080981:VP40 protein, virus; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors