Antiviral function and viral antagonism of the rapidly evolving dynein activating adaptor NINL.

ABSTRACT: Viruses interact with the intracellular transport machinery to promote viral replication. Such host-virus interactions can drive host gene adaptation, leaving signatures of pathogen-driven evolution in host genomes. Here, we leverage these genetic signatures to identify the dynein activating adaptor, ninein-like (NINL), as a critical component in the antiviral innate immune response and as a target of viral antagonism. Unique among genes encoding components of active dynein complexes, NINL has evolved under recurrent positive (diversifying) selection, particularly in its carboxy-terminal cargo-binding region. Consistent with a role for NINL in host immunity, we demonstrate that NINL knockout cells exhibit an impaired response to interferon, resulting in increased permissiveness to viral re

SUBMITTER: Stevens DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9651953 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature