Viruses with an RNA genome replicate and evolve via mechanisms distinct from DNA genomes and are important human, animal and plant pathogens. The mammalian immune mechanisms that defend against RNA viruses are poorly characterized. The proposed research will genetically dissect the immune pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans animals triggered by Flock house virus (FHV), one of the best characterized RNA viruses. We have shown recently that FHV replication launched from an inducible transgene integrated in the C. elegans genome triggers production of virus-derived siRNAs, which guide viral RNA clearance by RNA silencing or RNA interference (RNAi). Further genetic analyses have provided evidence for a conserved RNA silencing virus immunity (RSI) pathway in C. elegans in response to either FHV or another distinct RNA virus. We have carried out pilot feeding RNAi and chemical mutagenesis screens using the C. elegans/FHV system. Our feeding RNAi screen has identified 35 genes required for RSI including drh-1, which is dispensable for RNAi induced by exogenous dsRNA and highly homologous to the recently identified mammalian immune receptor for RNA viruses. Viable RSI-defective worm mutants recovered from the chemical screen include both RNAi-defective and RNAi-sensitive mutants and none are allelic with drh-1 or another frequent occurring RNAi-defective allele. Hence, our results have shown that C. elegans RSI requires components that are shared with, and dispensable for, exogenous RNAi, as well as those homologous to mammalian viral immunity components. We plan to further characterize the mechanism of viral RNA clearance guided by viral siRNAs, the features and roles of secondary viral siRNAs, and the specificity mechanism of RSI components dispensable for exogenous RNAi in worms. Further, we will isolate additional components of the animal RSI pathway through genome-wide feeding RNAi and chemical mutagenesis screens using the methodology already established in the lab. The proposed experiments will provide the first genome-view of the viral immunity pathway in whole animals, identify novel RNAi components that cannot be obtained in previous screens using non-viral RNAi triggers, and reveal immune mechanisms against RNA viruses that facilitate understanding mammalian viral immunity.

Public Health Relevance

The nematode C. elegans has been a powerful model for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of both RNA interference (RNAi) and programmed cell death in humans. Many RNA viruses such as influenza, hepatitis C virus, poliovirus, dengue virus and West Nile virus are important human pathogens. Thus, it is likely that the proposed studies on the RNAi-mediated viral immunity pathway of C. elegans to RNA viruses will provide mechanistic insights into mammalian viral immunity and RNAi.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01GM094396-01A2
Application #
7889265
Study Section
Molecular Genetics B Study Section (MGB)
Program Officer
Singh, Shiva P
Project Start
2010-05-01
Project End
2014-04-30
Budget Start
2010-05-01
Budget End
2011-04-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$287,650
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Riverside
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
627797426
City
Riverside
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92521
Ding, Shou-Wei; Han, Qingxia; Wang, Jinyan et al. (2018) Antiviral RNA interference in mammals. Curr Opin Immunol 54:109-114
Coffman, Stephanie R; Lu, Jinfeng; Guo, Xunyang et al. (2017) Caenorhabditis elegans RIG-I Homolog Mediates Antiviral RNA Interference Downstream of Dicer-Dependent Biogenesis of Viral Small Interfering RNAs. MBio 8:
Maillard, P V; Ciaudo, C; Marchais, A et al. (2013) Antiviral RNA interference in mammalian cells. Science 342:235-8
Li, Yang; Lu, Jinfeng; Han, Yanhong et al. (2013) RNA interference functions as an antiviral immunity mechanism in mammals. Science 342:231-4
Guo, Xunyang; Li, Wan-Xiang; Lu, Rui (2012) Silencing of host genes directed by virus-derived short interfering RNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Virol 86:11645-53
Wu, Qingfa; Wang, Ying; Cao, Mengji et al. (2012) Homology-independent discovery of replicating pathogenic circular RNAs by deep sequencing and a new computational algorithm. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:3938-43
Ding, Shou-Wei; Lu, Rui (2011) Virus-derived siRNAs and piRNAs in immunity and pathogenesis. Curr Opin Virol 1:533-44
Wu, Qingfa; Wang, Xianbing; Ding, Shou-Wei (2010) Viral suppressors of RNA-based viral immunity: host targets. Cell Host Microbe 8:12-5