PIWI Proteins Play an Antiviral Role in Lepidopteran Cell Lines

Dulce Santos; Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt; Lina Mingels; Stijn Van den Brande; Bart Geens; Filip Van Nieuwerburgh; Anna Kolliopoulou; Luc Swevers; Niels Wynant; Jozef Vanden Broeck

doi:10.3390/v14071442

Viruses (Jun 2022)

PIWI Proteins Play an Antiviral Role in Lepidopteran Cell Lines

Dulce Santos,
Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt,
Lina Mingels,
Stijn Van den Brande,
Bart Geens,
Filip Van Nieuwerburgh,
Anna Kolliopoulou,
Luc Swevers,
Niels Wynant,
Jozef Vanden Broeck

Affiliations

Dulce Santos: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Lina Mingels: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Stijn Van den Brande: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Bart Geens: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Filip Van Nieuwerburgh: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Gent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Anna Kolliopoulou: Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, 153 10 Athens, Greece
Luc Swevers: Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, 153 10 Athens, Greece
Niels Wynant: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Jozef Vanden Broeck: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v14071442
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 7
p. 1442

Abstract

Read online

Insect antiviral immunity primarily relies on RNAi mechanisms. While a key role of small interfering (si)RNAs and AGO proteins has been well established in this regard, the situation for PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs is not as clear. In the present study, we investigate whether PIWI proteins and viral piRNAs are involved in the immunity against single-stranded RNA viruses in lepidopteran cells, where two PIWIs are identified (Siwi and Ago3). Via loss- and gain-of-function studies in Bombyx mori BmN4 cells and in Trichoplusia ni High Five cells, we demonstrated an antiviral role of Siwi and Ago3. However, small RNA analysis suggests that viral piRNAs can be absent in these lepidopteran cells. Together with the current literature, our results support a functional diversification of PIWI proteins in insects.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords