Accumulation of autophagosomes in Semliki Forest virus-infected cells is dependent on expression of the viral glycoproteins.

ABSTRACT: Autophagy is a cellular process that sequesters cargo in double-membraned vesicles termed autophagosomes and delivers this cargo to lysosomes to be degraded. It is enhanced during nutrient starvation to increase the rate of amino acid turnover. Diverse roles for autophagy have been reported for viral infections, including the assembly of viral replication complexes on autophagic membranes and protection of host cells from cell death. Here, we show that autophagosomes accumulate in Semliki Forest virus (SFV)-infected cells. Despite this, disruption of autophagy had no effect on the viral replication rate or formation of viral replication complexes. Also, viral proteins rarely colocalized with autophagosome markers, suggesting that SFV did not utilize autophagic membranes for its replication

SUBMITTER: Eng KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3347313 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature