Alphaherpesvirus US3-mediated reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is mediated by group A p21-activated kinases

Céline Van Den Broeke, Maria Radu, Matthias Deruelle, Hans Nauwynck, Clemens Hofmann, Zahara M. Jaffer, Jonathan Chernoff, Herman W. Favoreel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

73 Scopus citations

Abstract

The US3 protein is a viral serine/threonine kinase that is conserved among all members of the Alphaherpesvirinae. The US3 protein of different alphaherpesviruses causes dramatic alterations in the actin cytoskeleton, such as the disassembly of actin stress fibers and formation of cell projections, which have been associated with increased intercellular virus spread. Here, we find that inhibiting group A p21-activated kinases (PAKs), which are key regulators in Cdc42/Rac1 Rho GTPase signaling pathways, impairs US3-mediated actin alterations. By using PAK1-/- and PAK2-/- mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), we show that US3-mediated stress fiber disassembly requires PAK2, whereas US3-mediated cell projection formation mainly is mediated by PAK1, also indicating that PAK1 and PAK2 can have different biological effects on the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. In addition, US3 was found to bind and phosphorylate group A PAKs. Lack of group A PAKs in MEFs was correlated with inefficient virus spread. Thus, US3 induces its effect on the actin cytoskeleton via group A PAKs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8707-8712
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume106
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - May 26 2009

Keywords

  • Herpesvirus
  • Projections
  • Rho GTPase signaling
  • Stress fibers
  • Viral kinase

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