ABSTRACT
Nuclear pore complexes (NPC) regulate molecular traffics on nuclear envelope, which plays crucial roles during cell fate specification and diseases. The viral accessory protein NSP9 of SARS-CoV-2 is reported to interact with nucleoporin 62 (NUP62), a structural component of the NPC, but its biological impact on the host cell remain obscure. Here, we established new cell line models with ectopic NSP9 expression and determined the subcellular destination and biological functions of NSP9. Confocal imaging identified NSP9 to be largely localized in close proximity to the endoplasmic reticulum. In agreement with the subcellular distribution of NSP9, association of NSP9 with NUP62 was observed in cytoplasm. Furthermore, the overexpression of NSP9 correlated with a reduction of NUP62 expression on the nuclear envelope, suggesting that attenuating NUP62 expression might have contributed to defective NPC formation. Importantly, the loss of NUP62 impaired translocation of p65, a subunit of NF-κB, upon TNF-α stimulation. Concordantly, NSP9 over-expression blocked p65 nuclear transport. Taken together, these data shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the modulation of host cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/metabolism , COVID-19/virology , Host Microbial Interactions/physiology , Membrane Glycoproteins/metabolism , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/metabolism , RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/metabolism , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus , Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism , Endoplasmic Reticulum/virology , Gene Knockdown Techniques , HeLa Cells , Humans , Membrane Glycoproteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics , Models, Biological , Nuclear Envelope/metabolism , Nuclear Envelope/virology , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism , Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/geneticsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces an alteration in the endomembrane system of the mammalian cells. In this study, we used transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography to investigate the main structural alterations in the cytoplasm of Vero cells infected with a SARS-CoV-2 isolate from São Paulo state (Brazil). RESULTS: Different membranous structures derived from the zippered endoplasmic reticulum were observed along with virus assembly through membrane budding. Also, we demonstrated the occurrence of annulate lamellae in the cytoplasm of infected cells and the presence of virus particles in the perinuclear space. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: This study contributes to a better understanding of the cell biology of SARS-CoV-2 and the mechanisms of the interaction of the virus with the host cell that promote morphological changes, recruitment of organelles and cell components, in a context of a virus-induced membrane remodelling.