The Orthobunyavirus Germiston Enters Host Cells from Late Endosomes
Stefan Windhaber, Qilin Xin, Zina M. Uckeley, Jana Koch, Martin Obr, Céline Garnier, Catherine Luengo-Guyonnot, Maëva Duboeuf, F.K.M. Schur, Pierre‐Yves Lozach
Abstract
Orthobunyaviruses (OBVs), which include La Crosse, Oropouche, and Schmallenberg viruses, represent a growing threat to humans and domestic animals worldwide. Ideally, preventing OBV spread requires approaches that target early stages of infection, i.e., virus entry. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which OBVs enter and infect host cells. Here, we developed accurate, sensitive tools and assays to investigate the penetration process of GERV. Our data emphasize the central role of late endosomal maturation in GERV entry, providing a comprehensive overview of the early stages of an OBV infection. Our study also brings a complete toolbox of innovative methods to study each step of the OBV entry program in fixed and living cells, from virus binding and endocytosis to fusion and penetration. The information gained herein lays the foundation for the development of antiviral strategies aiming to block OBV entry.