Methods for Studying Endocytotic Pathways of Herpesvirus Encoded G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Masa Mavri, Katja Spiess, Mette Marie Rosenkilde, Catrin Sian Rutland, Milka Vrecl, Valentina Kubale*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReviewResearchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
20 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Endocytosis is a fundamental process involved in trafficking of various extracellular and transmembrane molecules from the cell surface to its interior. This enables cells to communicate and respond to external environments, maintain cellular homeostasis, and transduce signals. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a family of receptors with seven transmembrane alpha-helical domains (7TM receptors) expressed at the cell surface, where they regulate physiological and pathological cellular processes. Several herpesviruses encode receptors (vGPCRs) which benefits the virus by avoiding host immune surveillance, supporting viral dissemination, and thereby establishing widespread and lifelong infection, processes where receptor signaling and/or endocytosis seem central. vGPCRs are rising as potential drug targets as exemplified by the cytomegalovirus-encoded receptor US28, where its constitutive internalization has been exploited for selective drug delivery in virus infected cells. Therefore, studying GPCR trafficking is of great importance. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of endocytic and cell localization properties of vGPCRs and methodological approaches used for studying receptor internalization. Using such novel approaches, we show constitutive internalization of the BILF1 receptor from human and porcine gamma-1 herpesviruses and present motifs from the eukaryotic linear motif (ELM) resources with importance for vGPCR endocytosis.

Original languageEnglish
Article number5710
JournalMolecules
Volume25
Issue number23
Number of pages23
ISSN1420-3049
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • endocytosis
  • G-protein coupled receptors
  • herpesvirus
  • methods

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