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Viroplasms: Assembly and Functions of Rotavirus Replication Factories

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Papa, Guido 
Borodavka, Alexander  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5729-2687
Desselberger, Ulrich  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0154-2410

Abstract

Viroplasms are cytoplasmic, membraneless structures assembled in rotavirus (RV)-infected cells, which are intricately involved in viral replication. Two virus-encoded, non-structural proteins, NSP2 and NSP5, are the main drivers of viroplasm formation. The structures (as far as is known) and functions of these proteins are described. Recent studies using plasmid-only-based reverse genetics have significantly contributed to elucidation of the crucial roles of these proteins in RV replication. Thus, it has been recognized that viroplasms resemble liquid-like protein–RNA condensates that may be formed via liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of NSP2 and NSP5 at the early stages of infection. Interactions between the RNA chaperone NSP2 and the multivalent, intrinsically disordered protein NSP5 result in their condensation (protein droplet formation), which plays a central role in viroplasm assembly. These droplets may provide a unique molecular environment for the establishment of inter-molecular contacts between the RV (+)ssRNA transcripts, followed by their assortment and equimolar packaging. Future efforts to improve our understanding of RV replication and genome assortment in viroplasms should focus on their complex molecular composition, which changes dynamically throughout the RV replication cycle, to support distinct stages of virion assembly.

Description

Keywords

rotavirus, viroplasm, replication cycle, NSP5, NSP2, reverse genetics, CRISPR-Csy4 genome editing, protein-RNA condensates, liquid-liquid phase separation

Journal Title

Viruses

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1999-4915

Volume Title

13

Publisher

MDPI