Human MxB Inhibits the Replication of Hepatitis C Virus.

Type I interferon (IFN) inhibits viruses by inducing the expression of antiviral proteins. The IFN-induced myxovirus resistance B (MxB) protein has been reported to inhibit a limited number of viruses, including HIV-1 and herpesviruses, but its antiviral coverage remains to be explored further. Here we show that MxB interferes with RNA replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and significantly inhibits viral replication in a cyclophilin A (CypA)-dependent manner. Our data further show that MxB interacts with the HCV protein NS5A, thereby impairing NS5A interaction with CypA and NS5A localization to the endoplasmic reticulum, two events essential for HCV RNA replication. Interestingly, we found that MxB significantly inhibits two additional CypA-dependent viruses of the Flaviviridae family, namely, Japanese encephalitis virus and dengue virus, suggesting a potential link between virus dependence on CypA and virus susceptibility to MxB inhibition. Collectively, these data have identified MxB as a key factor behind IFN-mediated suppression of HCV infection, and they suggest that other CypA-dependent viruses may also be subjected to MxB restriction.IMPORTANCE Viruses of the Flaviviridae family cause major illness and death around the world and thus pose a great threat to human health. Here we show that IFN-inducible MxB restricts several members of the Flaviviridae, including HCV, Japanese encephalitis virus, and dengue virus. This finding not only suggests an active role of MxB in combating these major pathogenic human viruses but also significantly expands the antiviral spectrum of MxB. Our study further strengthens the link between virus dependence on CypA and susceptibility to MxB restriction and also suggests that MxB may employ a common mechanism to inhibit different viruses. Elucidating the antiviral functions of MxB advances our understanding of IFN-mediated host antiviral defense and may open new avenues to the development of novel antiviral therapeutics.

A highly conserved amino acid in VP1 regulates maturation of enterovirus 71.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children, causing severe clinical outcomes and even death. Here, we report an important role of the highly conserved alanine residue at position 107 in the capsid protein VP1 (VP1A107) in the efficient replication of EV71. Substitutional mutations of VP1A107 significantly diminish viral growth kinetics without significant effect on viral entry, expression of viral genes and viral production. The results of mechanistic studies reveal that VP1A107 regulates the efficient cleavage of the VP0 precursor during EV71 assembly, which is required, in the next round of infection, for the transformation of the mature virion (160S) into an intermediate or A-particle (135S), a key step of virus uncoating. Furthermore, the results of molecular dynamic simulations and hydrogen-bond networks analysis of VP1A107 suggest that flexibility of the VP1 BC loop or the region surrounding the VP1107 residue directly correlates with viral infectivity. It is possible that sufficient flexibility of the region surrounding the VP1107 residue favors VP0 conformational change that is required for the efficient cleavage of VP0 as well as subsequent viral uncoating and viral replication. Taken together, our data reveal the structural role of the highly conserved VP1A107 in regulating EV71 maturation. Characterization of this novel determinant of EV71 virulence would promote the study on pathogenesis of Enteroviruses.

Synthesis of triangular metallodendrimers via coordination-driven self-assembly.

A new family of 60° dendritic di-Pt(II) acceptor tectons have been successfully designed and synthesized, from which a series of novel "three-component" triangular metallodendrimers were prepared via [3 + 3] coordination-driven self-assembly. The structures of newly designed triangular metallodendrimers are characterized by multinuclear NMR ((1)H and (31)P), (1)H DOSY NMR, mass spectrometry (CSI-TOF-MS), and elemental analysis. The shape and size of all supramolecular dendritic triangles were investigated with PM6 semiempirical molecular orbital methods.

Design and construction of endo-functionalized multiferrocenyl hexagons via coordination-driven self-assembly and their electrochemistry.

The construction of a new family of endo-functionalized multiferrocenyl hexagons with various sizes via coordination-driven self-assembly is described. The structures of these novel metallacycles, containing several ferrocenyl moieties at their interior surface, are characterized by multinuclear NMR ((31)P and (1)H) spectroscopy, cold-spray ionization mass spectrometry (CSI-TOF-MS), elemental analysis, and molecular modeling. Insight into the structural and electrochemical properties of these endo-functionalized multiferrocenyl hexagons was obtained through cyclic voltammetry investigation.

Design and synthesis of 60° dendritic donor ligands and their coordination-driven self-assembly into supramolecular rhomboidal metallodendrimers.

The design and self-assembly of novel rhomboidal metallodendrimers via coordination-driven self-assembly is described. By employing newly designed 60° ditopic donor linkers substituted with Fréchet-type dendrons and appropriate 120° rigid di-Pt(II) acceptor subunits, a variety of [G-1]-[G-3] rhomboidal metallodendrimers with well-defined shape and size were prepared under mild conditions in high yields. The supramolecular metallodendrimers were characterized with multinuclear NMR ((1)H and (31)P), mass spectrometry (CSI-TOF-MS), and elemental analysis. Isotopically resolved mass spectrometry data support the existence of the metallodendrimers with rhomboidal cavities, and NMR data were consistent with the formation of all ensembles. The shape and size of all rhomboidal metallodendrimers were investigated with the PM6 semiempirical molecular orbital method.