title: CDC42 Use in Viral Cell Entry Processes by RNA Viruses.
abstract: The cellular actin cytoskeleton presents a barrier that must be overcome by many viruses, and it has become increasingly apparent many viral species have developed a diverse repertoire of mechanisms to hijack cellular actin-regulating signalling pathways as part of their cell entry processes. The Rho family GTPase Cdc42 is appreciated as a key moderator of cellular actin dynamics, and the development of specific Cdc42-inhibiting agents has given us an unprecedented ability to investigate its individual role in signalling pathways. However, investigative use of said agents, and the subsequent characterisation of the role Cdc42 plays in viral entry processes has been lacking. Here, we describe the current literature on the role of Cdc42 in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 cell entry, which represents the most investigated instance of Cdc42 function in viral cell entry processes, and also review evidence of Cdc42 use in other RNA virus cell entries, demonstrating prime areas for more extensive research using similar techniques.
authors.affiliation: Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard Institute, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK. ha09054@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Swaine
authors.affiliation: Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard Institute, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK. m.t.dittmar@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Matthias T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Dittmar
mesh_terms: D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000502:physiology*; D053586:Virus Internalization; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
keywords: Cdc42; Ebola virus; HIV-1; RNA virus; RSV; Rho GTPase; cell entry; coronavirus; rotavirus