Genome-Wide Knockout Screen Identifies Human Sialomucin CD164 as an Essential Entry Factor for Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
Jamin Liu, Kristeene A. Knopp, Elze Rackaityte, Chung‐Yu Wang, Matthew T. Laurie, Sara Sunshine, Andreas S. Puschnik, Joseph L. DeRisi
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a human-pathogenic mammarenavirus that can be fatal in congenital infections. Although frequently used in the study of persistent infections in the field of immunology, aspects of this virus's life cycle remain incomplete. For example, while viral entry has been shown to depend on a cell adhesion molecule, DAG1, genetic knockout of this gene allows for residual viral infection, implying that additional receptors can mediate cell entry. The significance of our study is the identification of host factors important for successful infection, including the sialomucin CD164, which had not been previously associated with viral infection. We demonstrated that CD164 is essential for LCMV entry into human cells and can serve as a possible therapeutic target for treatment of congenital infection.