Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus hijacks the non-canonical enzymatic function of PHGDH to arrest autophagic flux for viral replication
- 1State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- 2Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Viruses frequently hijack host metabolic enzymes to fuel replication. However, the mechanisms underlying this hijacking and utilization of metabolic enzymes remain poorly understood. In this study, we report a sophisticated mechanism by which porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) exploits a non-canonical enzymatic function of PHGDH (phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase) to modulate macroautophagy/autophagy. We demonstrate that PRRSV infection recruits the transcription factor ZNF143 (zinc finger protein 143) to transcriptionally repress PHGDH expression. Importantly, the antiviral restriction activity of PHGDH is entirely uncoupled from its canonical enzymatic role in serine biosynthesis. Mechanistically, PHGDH depletion triggers the initiation of autophagy via the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-ULK1 (unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1) signaling axis; however, it paradoxically arrests autophagic flux at the autophagosome-lysosome fusion stage. PHGDH is identified as a critical scaffold that facilitates the assembly of the autophagic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex; its downregulation disrupts the interaction between STX17 (syntaxin 17) and SNAP29 (synaptosome associated protein 29), thereby blocking autophagosome-lysosome fusion. This induction of incomplete autophagy creates a favorable cytosolic niche for viral replication. Furthermore, the antiviral effect of PHGDH is also observed in two other swine pathogens, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV). Collectively, these findings revealed that viruses weaponized the moonlighting function of a metabolic enzyme to dismantle autophagic flux, highlighting PHGDH as a broad-spectrum antiviral target that bridged metabolism and membrane trafficking.
Abbreviation: AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; BECN1: beclin 1; CQ: chloroquine; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MOI: multiplicity of infection; PEDV: porcine epidemic diarrhea virus; PHGDH: phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase; PRV: pseudorabies virus; PRRSV: porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus; SGOC: serine-glycine-one-carbon; siRNA: small interfering RNA; SNAP29: synaptosome associated protein 29; SNARE: soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; SSP: serine synthesis pathway; STX17: syntaxin 17; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; VAMP8: vesicle associated membrane protein 8; ZNF143: zinc finger protein 143.
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BibTeX
@article{yu2026porcine,
title = {{Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus hijacks the non-canonical enzymatic function of PHGDH to arrest autophagic flux for viral replication}},
author = {Zhangping Yu and Qiongqiong Zhou and Peng Gao and Yongning Zhang and Xinna Ge and Jun Han and Xin Guo and Lei Zhou and Hanchun Yang},
journal = {Autophagy},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1080/15548627.2026.2686400},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2026.2686400},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus hijacks the non-canonical enzymatic function of PHGDH to arrest autophagic flux for viral replication
AU - Zhangping Yu
AU - Qiongqiong Zhou
AU - Peng Gao
AU - Yongning Zhang
AU - Xinna Ge
AU - Jun Han
AU - Xin Guo
AU - Lei Zhou
AU - Hanchun Yang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/16
JO - Autophagy
DO - 10.1080/15548627.2026.2686400
UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2026.2686400
AB - Viruses frequently hijack host metabolic enzymes to fuel replication. However, the mechanisms underlying this hijacking and utilization of metabolic enzymes remain poorly understood. In this study, we report a sophisticated mechanism by which porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) exploits a non-canonical enzymatic function of PHGDH (phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase) to modulate macroautophagy/autophagy. We demonstrate that PRRSV infection recruits the transcription factor ZNF143 (zinc finger protein 143) to transcriptionally repress PHGDH expression. Importantly, the antiviral restriction activity of PHGDH is entirely uncoupled from its canonical enzymatic role in serine biosynthesis. Mechanistically, PHGDH depletion triggers the initiation of autophagy via the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-ULK1 (unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1) signaling axis; however, it paradoxically arrests autophagic flux at the autophagosome-lysosome fusion stage. PHGDH is identified as a critical scaffold that facilitates the assembly of the autophagic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex; its downregulation disrupts the interaction between STX17 (syntaxin 17) and SNAP29 (synaptosome associated protein 29), thereby blocking autophagosome-lysosome fusion. This induction of incomplete autophagy creates a favorable cytosolic niche for viral replication. Furthermore, the antiviral effect of PHGDH is also observed in two other swine pathogens, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV). Collectively, these findings revealed that viruses weaponized the moonlighting function of a metabolic enzyme to dismantle autophagic flux, highlighting PHGDH as a broad-spectrum antiviral target that bridged metabolism and membrane trafficking. Abbreviation: AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; BECN1: beclin 1; CQ: chloroquine; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MOI: multiplicity of infection; PEDV: porcine epidemic diarrhea virus; PHGDH: phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase; PRV: pseudorabies virus; PRRSV: porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus; SGOC: serine-glycine-one-carbon; siRNA: small interfering RNA; SNAP29: synaptosome associated protein 29; SNARE: soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; SSP: serine synthesis pathway; STX17: syntaxin 17; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; VAMP8: vesicle associated membrane protein 8; ZNF143: zinc finger protein 143.
SN - 1554-8627
SN - 1554-8635
ER -