A Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Knockout Screen Identifies Immunoglobulin Superfamily DCC Subclass Member 4 As a Key Host Factor That Promotes Influenza Virus Endocytosis

Overview

Journal PLoS Pathog

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2021 Dec 6

PMID 34871331

Citations 23

Authors

Yangming Song

Haixiang Huang

Yuzhen Hu

JiWen Zhang

Fang Li

Xin Yin

Jianzhong Shi

Yanbing Li

Chengjun Li

Dongming Zhao

Hualan Chen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Influenza virus infection is dependent on host cellular factors, and identification of these factors and their underlying mechanisms can provide important information for the development of strategies to inhibit viral infection. Here, we used a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus to perform a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout screen in human lung epithelial cells (A549 cells), and found that knockout of transmembrane protein immunoglobulin superfamily DCC subclass member 4 (IGDCC4) significantly reduced the replication of the virus in A549 cells. Further studies showed that IGDCC4 interacted with the viral hemagglutinin protein and facilitated virus internalization into host cells. Animal infection studies showed that replication of H5N1 virus in the nasal turbinates, lungs, and kidneys of IGDCC4-knockout mice was significantly lower than that in the corresponding organs of wild-type mice. Half of the IGDCC4-knockout mice survived a lethal H5N1 virus challenge, whereas all of the wild-type mice died within 11 days of infection. Our study identifies a novel host factor that promotes influenza virus infection by facilitating internalization and provides insights that will support the development of antiviral therapies.

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