Recombinant Rift valley Fever Virus Nucleoprotein

Supplementary info

This supplementary information is collated from multiple sources and compiled automatically.

Activity summary

Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) primarily acts as an arthropod-borne pathogen. It belongs to the Phlebovirus genus of the Bunyaviridae family and has a segmented negative-sense RNA genome. The genome comprises a large (L) segment coding for the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase a medium (M) segment encoding two glycoproteins (Gn and Gc) and a small (S) segment that translates into the nucleoprotein (N) and non-structural protein (NSs). The structural proteins allow the virus to enter host cells replicate its genetic material and assemble new viral particles. RVFV is mainly expressed in mammalian hosts including humans and domestic animals especially in regions with mosquito carriers.

Biological function summary

Rift Valley Fever Virus causes hemorrhagic fever in infected hosts impacting several organ systems. The virus targets hepatic and reticuloendothelial systems leading to liver damage and impairing immune responses. RVFV proteins form part of a complex viral machinery that interferes with host cell signaling and defense mechanisms. This disruption allows the virus to maintain persistence in cells and enhance its pathogenicity contributing to severe disease manifestations in susceptible hosts.

Pathways

Rift Valley Fever Virus interacts with signaling cascades like the Type I interferon pathway and the NF-kB pathway. These pathways involve immune response modulation which the virus tactically suppresses to avoid host detection and clearance. Important proteins in these pathways such as IRF3 and NF-kB become inhibited by viral proteins like NSs resulting in decreased antiviral responses. The modification of these pathways is key to understanding RVFV's virulence and persistence within the host system.

Associated diseases and disorders

Rift Valley Fever Virus significantly affects regions prone to mosquito infestations leading to Rift Valley fever outbreaks in livestock and humans. This viral infection manifests in conditions such as liver inflammation and hemorrhagic symptoms. The NSs protein plays a role in inhibiting immune responses linked to severe disease progression. Additionally RVFV's interaction with proteins like MxA an interferon-induced protein links to reduced antiviral potential in host cells exacerbating the disease's severity and transmissibility.