Cellular proteins have been identified to participate in calicivirus replication in association with viral proteins and/or viral RNAs. By mass spectrometry from pull-down assays, we identified several cellular proteins bound to the feline calicivirus (FCV) genomic RNA; among them the lipid raft-associated scaffold protein Annexin (Anx) A2. AnxA2 colocalizes with FCV NS6/7 protein and with the dsRNA in infected cells; moreover, it was found associated with the viral RNA in the membrane fraction corresponding to the replication complexes (RCs), suggesting its role during FCV replication. AnxA2-knockdown from CrFK cells prior to infection with FCV caused a delay in the cytopathic effect, a strong reduction of viral non-structural proteins and dsRNA production, and a decrease of FCV yield in both cell-associated and supernatant fractions. Taken together, these results indicate that AnxA2 associates to the genomic RNA of FCV and is required for an efficient FCV replication.
Keywords: Annexin A2; Feline calicivirus; RNA-protein interaction; Replication complexes; Viral replication.
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