Introduction

A common cellular response to viral infection is initiation of apoptosis; however, the molecular mechanisms by which viruses elicit this response are not well understood. Reovirus Respiratory Enteric Orphan virus infection triggers apoptosis in cell cultures and in vivo. Reoviruses The family Reoviridae is a diverse group, infecting invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. Orthoreoviruses infect mammals and birds. have non-enveloped, icosahedral capsids composed of a double protein shell, which surrounds a segmented, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genome 10 segments of dsRNA . These viruses infect a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans and mice, and serve as an important experimental system for studying the mechanisms of virus-induced cell death.

Binding of viral attachment protein s1 to cellular receptors sialic acid and junction adhesion molecule (JAM) is necessary for induction of apoptosis. However, evidence suggests that steps in the reovirus replication cycle subsequent to receptor binding mediate signals that trigger apoptosis. The goal of this paper is to determine whether steps in the reovirus replication cycle following viral attachment are required for induction of apoptosis.

EXPERIMENTAL MENU

Figure from http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/335/Diarrhoea.html

This is an interactive module based on the following paper:

Connolly, J. L. and T. S. Dermody. 2002. Virion disassembly is required for apoptosis induced by reovirus. Journal of Virology. 76:1632-1641.

Robert Minera and Renee Sarno created this module as an assignment for Biology 426: General Virology during Spring 2002.