Papers In Press, published online ahead of print April 11, 2006
J. Biol. Chem, 10.1074/jbc.M510233200
Submitted on September 16, 2005
Accepted on April 11, 2006
Membrane accumulation of influenza a virus hemagglutinin triggers nuclear export of the viral genome via PKC
mediated activation of ERK signaling
Henju Marjuki, Mohammad I. Alam, Christina Ehrhardt, Ralf Wagner, Oliver Planz, Hans- D. Klenk, Stephan Ludwig, and Stephan Pleschka
Medicine, Institute for Medical Virology, Giessen D-35392
Corresponding Author: stephan.pleschka{at}mikro.bio.uni-giessen.de
Replication and transcription of the influenza virus genome takes place exclusively within the nucleus of the infected cells. The viral RNA genome, polymerase subunits and nucleoprotein form ribonucleoprotein-complexes (RNPs). Late in the infectious cycle RNPs have to be exported from the nucleus to be enwrapped into budding progeny virions at the cell membrane. This process requires viral activation of the cellular Raf/MEK/ERK kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade that is activated late in the infection cycle. Accordingly, block of the cascade results in retardation of RNP export and reduced titers of progeny virus. In the present study we have analyzed the importance of cell membrane association of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein for viral MAPK activation. We show that HA membrane accumulation and its tight association with lipid-raft domains triggers activation of the MAPK cascade via PKC
activation and induces RNP export. This may represent an auto-regulative mechanism that coordinates timing of RNP export to a point when all viral components are ready for virus budding.