title: Contribution of Sec61α to the life cycle of Ebola virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Similar to other viruses, the viral proteins of Ebola virus (EBOV) interact with a variety of host proteins for its replication. Of the 7 structural proteins encoded in the EBOV genome, VP24 is the smallest and is multifunctional.
  
  
  METHODS
  To identify host factors that interact with VP24 and are required for EBOV replication, we transfected 293 cells with plasmid expressing FLAG- and HA-tagged VP24, immunoprecipitated the host proteins that bound to VP24, and analyzed the immunoprecipitants with use of mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 68 candidate host proteins identified, we selected Sec61α because of its similar intracellular localization to that of VP24 (ie, perinuclear region), its involvement in various biological functions, and its roles in pathogenesis, such as type 2 diabetes and hepatosteatosis, and investigated its possible role in the EBOV life cycle. Our results suggest that Sec61α is not involved in EBOV entry, interferon antagonism by VP24, nucleocapsid formation, or budding. However, Sec61α colocalized with VP24 contributed to the ability of VP24 to inhibit EBOV genome transcription and reduced the polymerase activity of EBOV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that Sec61α is a host protein involved in EBOV replication, specifically in EBOV genome transcription and replication.
authors: Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Ayaka
authors: A
authors: Iwasa
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Halfmann
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Noda
authors: Masaaki
authors: M
authors: Oyama
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Kozuka-Hata
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Watanabe
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Shimojima
authors: Tokiko
authors: T
authors: Watanabe
authors: Yoshihiro
authors: Y
authors: Kawaoka
mesh_terms: D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D016679:Genome, Viral; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000069816:SEC Translocation Channels; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D053586:Virus Internalization; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000069816:SEC Translocation Channels; C000613244:SEC61A1 protein, human