Poxvirus H5 mediates the formation of liquid-liquid phase separation condensates which promote virus factory assembly.

ABSTRACT: Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a fundamental mechanism for the formation of membrane-less organelles, enabling cells to compartmentalize biochemical processes without membrane boundaries. In viral infections, LLPS is increasingly recognized as a strategy for organizing replication and transcriptional machinery. Here, we report that H5, a DNA-binding protein of vaccinia virus (VACV) could undergo LLPS through its N-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR). H5 forms dynamic and reversible condensates in both transfected and vacv infected cells, a property also observed with H5 orthologs from mpox virus and lumpy skin disease virus. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays confirmed the liquid-like behavior of H5 condensates. Using structure-guided mutagenesis

SUBMITTER: Zhu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12633886 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature