Liquid-liquid Phase Separation in Viral Function

Xiaoyue Zhang; Run Zheng; Zhengshuo Li; Jian Ma

doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2023.167955

Liquid-liquid Phase Separation in Viral Function

J Mol Biol. 2023 Aug 15;435(16):167955. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.167955. Epub 2023 Jan 13.

Authors

Xiaoyue Zhang¹, Run Zheng², Zhengshuo Li², Jian Ma³

Affiliations

¹ NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China; Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Changsha, China.
² Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Changsha, China.
³ NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China; Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Changsha, China. Electronic address: majian@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36642156
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.167955

Abstract

An emerging set of results suggests that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is the basis for the formation of membrane-less compartments in cells. Evidence is now mounting that various types of virus-induced membrane-less compartments and organelles are also assembled via LLPS. Specifically, viruses appear to use intracellular phase transitions to form subcellular microenvironments known as viral factories, inclusion bodies, or viroplasms. These compartments - collectively referred to as viral biomolecular condensates - can be used to concentrate replicase proteins, viral genomes, and host proteins that are required for virus replication. They can also be used to subvert or avoid the intracellular immune response. This review examines how certain DNA or RNA viruses drive the formation of viral condensates, the possible biological functions of those condensates, and the biophysical and biochemical basis for their assembly.

Keywords: Liquid-liquid phase separation; antiviral immunity; biomolecular condensate; viral factories.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomolecular Condensates* / metabolism
Biomolecular Condensates* / virology
DNA Viruses* / chemistry
DNA Viruses* / physiology
Phase Transition
RNA Viruses* / chemistry
RNA Viruses* / physiology
Virus Replication