Virus hijacks cell’s transportation system

A deadly tick-borne virus uses the host neuron’s transportation system to move their RNA, resulting in the local reproduction of the virus and severe neurological symptoms. Flaviviruses are a significant threat to public health worldwide, and some infected patients develop severe — potentially fatal — neurological diseases. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a member of the genus Flavivirus, causes encephalic diseases resulting in photophobia, irritability and sleep disorders. However, little is known about their pathogenic mechanisms and no effective treatment is available at present. A research team at Hokkaido University has previously showed that, in mouse neurons, genomic RNAs of TBEV are transported from the cell body to dendrites, the neuron’s wire-like protrusions. Viral RNAs then reproduce viruses locally in dendrites disturbing normal neuronal activities. In the new study published in PNAS, the team looked into the transportation mechanism of viral RNAs in neurons, and discovered they make use of the cell’s transportation system, which...