Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions

ABSTRACT Vigilin is a large and evolutionary conserved RNA-binding protein (RBP), which can interact with RNA through its KH domain. Vigilin is, therefore, a multifunctional protein reported to be associated with RNA transport and metabolism, sterol metabolism, chromosome segregation, carcinogenesis...

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Main Authors: Guijie Wang, Mazhar Hussain, Zhi Qi, Sassan Asgari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2025-01-01
Series:mSphere
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Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msphere.00482-24
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author Guijie Wang
Mazhar Hussain
Zhi Qi
Sassan Asgari
author_facet Guijie Wang
Mazhar Hussain
Zhi Qi
Sassan Asgari
author_sort Guijie Wang
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Vigilin is a large and evolutionary conserved RNA-binding protein (RBP), which can interact with RNA through its KH domain. Vigilin is, therefore, a multifunctional protein reported to be associated with RNA transport and metabolism, sterol metabolism, chromosome segregation, carcinogenesis, and heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing. The receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is another highly conserved protein involved in many cellular pathways. Functional studies in human cells indicated that RACK1 interacts with Vigilin to promote dengue virus (DENV) replication. Both proteins are associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we investigated the significance of Vigilin and RACK1 homologs in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes concerning DENV replication and Wolbachia infection. We identified the homologs of the two genes in Ae. aegypti (AeVigilin and AeRACK1), which were upregulated in DENV-infected Aag2 cells and mosquitoes, and silencing them in Aag2 cells resulted in reduced DENV replication. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that AeRACK1 and AeVigilin interact in mosquito cells. Interestingly, we also found upregulation of both genes in a Wolbachia-infected cell line (Aag2.wAlbB). Furthermore, silencing AeVigilin and AeRACK1 in Aag2.wAlbB cells reduced DENV replication but increased Wolbachia density. However, we did not find a significant effect on DENV replication after silencing both genes in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Overall, our results support the involvement and significance of AeVigilin and AeRACK1 in DENV replication in Ae. aegypti.IMPORTANCEDengue virus (DENV), transmitted mainly by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, poses significant health risks. Identifying factors involved in the virus replication in mosquitoes and human hosts is essential for devising control measures. In this study, we show that Vigilin and the receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), two proteins shown to play a role in the replication of DENV in human cells, are induced in mosquitoes and cell lines following DENV replication. Both proteins reside in the cytoplasm, where they interact similarly to human cells. Silencing the genes in mosquito cells significantly reduced virus replication. Furthermore, we found that both genes are induced in mosquito cells transinfected with Wolbachia, a bacterium that blocks DENV replication. The results help better understand the role of the common factors supporting DENV replication in mosquitoes and human cells.
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spelling doaj-art-3a8c37c611b44c099491a3161cf54bda2025-01-28T14:00:56ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymSphere2379-50422025-01-0110110.1128/msphere.00482-24Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactionsGuijie Wang0Mazhar Hussain1Zhi Qi2Sassan Asgari3Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaAustralian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaAustralian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaAustralian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaABSTRACT Vigilin is a large and evolutionary conserved RNA-binding protein (RBP), which can interact with RNA through its KH domain. Vigilin is, therefore, a multifunctional protein reported to be associated with RNA transport and metabolism, sterol metabolism, chromosome segregation, carcinogenesis, and heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing. The receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is another highly conserved protein involved in many cellular pathways. Functional studies in human cells indicated that RACK1 interacts with Vigilin to promote dengue virus (DENV) replication. Both proteins are associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we investigated the significance of Vigilin and RACK1 homologs in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes concerning DENV replication and Wolbachia infection. We identified the homologs of the two genes in Ae. aegypti (AeVigilin and AeRACK1), which were upregulated in DENV-infected Aag2 cells and mosquitoes, and silencing them in Aag2 cells resulted in reduced DENV replication. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that AeRACK1 and AeVigilin interact in mosquito cells. Interestingly, we also found upregulation of both genes in a Wolbachia-infected cell line (Aag2.wAlbB). Furthermore, silencing AeVigilin and AeRACK1 in Aag2.wAlbB cells reduced DENV replication but increased Wolbachia density. However, we did not find a significant effect on DENV replication after silencing both genes in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Overall, our results support the involvement and significance of AeVigilin and AeRACK1 in DENV replication in Ae. aegypti.IMPORTANCEDengue virus (DENV), transmitted mainly by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, poses significant health risks. Identifying factors involved in the virus replication in mosquitoes and human hosts is essential for devising control measures. In this study, we show that Vigilin and the receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), two proteins shown to play a role in the replication of DENV in human cells, are induced in mosquitoes and cell lines following DENV replication. Both proteins reside in the cytoplasm, where they interact similarly to human cells. Silencing the genes in mosquito cells significantly reduced virus replication. Furthermore, we found that both genes are induced in mosquito cells transinfected with Wolbachia, a bacterium that blocks DENV replication. The results help better understand the role of the common factors supporting DENV replication in mosquitoes and human cells.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msphere.00482-24Aedes aegyptimosquitodengue virusWolbachiaVigilinRACK1
spellingShingle Guijie Wang
Mazhar Hussain
Zhi Qi
Sassan Asgari
Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions
mSphere
Aedes aegypti
mosquito
dengue virus
Wolbachia
Vigilin
RACK1
title Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions
title_full Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions
title_fullStr Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions
title_full_unstemmed Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions
title_short Role of Vigilin and RACK1 in dengue virus-Aedes aegypti-Wolbachia interactions
title_sort role of vigilin and rack1 in dengue virus aedes aegypti wolbachia interactions
topic Aedes aegypti
mosquito
dengue virus
Wolbachia
Vigilin
RACK1
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msphere.00482-24
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