KIF13A mediates trafficking of influenza Avirus ribonucleoproteins

Ana Ramos-Nascimento, Bárbara Kellen, Filipe Ferreira, Marta Alenquer, Sílvia Vale-Costa, Graça Raposo, Cédric Delevoye, Maria João Amorim*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Influenza A is a rapidly evolving virus that is successful in provoking periodic epidemics and occasional pandemics in humans. Viral assembly is complex as the virus incorporates an eight-partite genome of RNA (in the form of viral ribonucleoproteins, vRNPs), and viral genome assembly - with its implications to public health - is not completely understood. It has previously been reported that vRNPs are transported to the cell surface on Rab11-containing vesicles by using microtubules but, so far, no molecular motor has been assigned to the process. Here, we have identified KIF13A, a member of the kinesin-3 family, as the first molecular motor to efficiently transport vRNP-Rab11 vesicles during infection with influenza A. Depletion of KIF13A resulted in reduced viral titers and less accumulation of vRNPs at the cell surface, without interfering with the levels of other viral proteins at sites of viral assembly. In addition, when overexpressed and following two separate approaches to displace vRNP-Rab11 vesicles, KIF13A increased levels of vRNP at the plasma membrane. Together, our results show that KIF13A plays an important role in the transport of influenza A vRNPs, a crucial step for viral assembly.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4038-4050
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Cell Science
Volume130
Issue number23
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Influenza A virus assembly
  • KIF13A
  • Molecular motor
  • Recycling endosome

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