West Nile Virus Replication Requires Fatty Acid Synthesis but Is Independent on Phosphatidylinositol-4-Phosphate Lipids
2011

West Nile Virus Replication Requires Fatty Acid Synthesis

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Martín-Acebes Miguel A., Blázquez Ana-Belén, Jiménez de Oya Nereida, Escribano-Romero Estela, Saiz Juan-Carlos

Primary Institution: Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain

Hypothesis

Does West Nile virus replication depend on fatty acid synthesis and is it independent of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate lipids?

Conclusion

West Nile virus replication is dependent on fatty acid synthesis but does not require phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate lipids.

Supporting Evidence

  • WNV replication was reduced by pharmacological inhibitors of fatty acid synthase.
  • Viral RNA synthesis was confirmed to be affected by fatty acid synthesis inhibitors.
  • PI4P lipids did not localize at the viral replication complex in WNV-infected cells.

Takeaway

The study found that West Nile virus needs fatty acids to replicate, but it doesn't need a specific type of fat called phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate.

Methodology

The study used electron and confocal microscopy to analyze intracellular membrane rearrangements and pharmacological inhibitors to assess the role of fatty acid synthesis in viral replication.

Limitations

The study primarily focused on specific inhibitors and may not account for all cellular processes involved in viral replication.

Statistical Information

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0024970

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