Parvovirus B19 NS1 protein as a therapeutic target
Parvovirus B19, a small, single-stranded DNA virus, is known to cause a spectrum of clinical manifestations in humans. Among its proteins, the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) holds significant importance in the viral life cycle.
NS1 is a multifunctional protein that plays a central role in the replication of the Parvovirus B19 genome. Upon infection of host cells, the virus depends on the host's cellular machinery for genome replication. NS1 is the key orchestrator of this process, primarily by acting as a helicase, unwinding the viral DNA to create single-stranded templates for replication. This essential step is initiated within the cell nucleus, which houses the replication machinery necessary for DNA replication. In addition, NS1 plays a central role in modulation host cell function by transactivating transcription and arresting cell cycle at initial stages of infection, thus maximizing viral genome replication, while at later stages it promotes apoptosis to enhance release of infectious viral particles. We have recently begun the characterization of NS1 nuclear transport and its oligomerization, in collaboration with Prof. Giorgio Gallinella from University of Bologna, Prof. Jade Forwood from Charles Sturt University Australia and Prof. Nancy Horton from University of Arizona, with the aim of identifying new targets of therapeutic intervention.
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1. Alvisi G, Manaresi E, Cross EM, Hoad M, Akbari N, Pavan S, Ariawan D, Bua G, Petersen GF, Forwood J, Gallinella G. Importin α/β-dependent nuclear transport of human parvovirus B19 nonstructural protein 1 is essential for viral replication. Antiviral Res. 2023 May;213:105588. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105588. Epub 2023 Mar 28. PMID: 36990397.