Live imaging and interactome analysis of Zika and chikungunya viral RNAs via dual-action aptamer tag.
- 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University Park, University Park, PA, USA.
- 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University Park, University Park, PA, USA. [email protected].
- 3The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. [email protected].
Abstract
Arthropod-borne, positive-sense RNA viruses encompass many human pathogens posing significant health threats worldwide. Understanding intracellular dynamics and host-factor interactions of the viral genome is essential for devising effective antiviral strategies. Here, we engineer dual-labeled Zika and chikungunya viruses incorporating a Mango-II aptamer for RNA pulldown and real-time imaging, achieving high-resolution imaging of flavivirus RNA in live cells. Tandem imaging with viral replication proteins revealed intracellular dynamics of replication complexes and RNA molecules of these viruses. We identify >200 high-confidence host interactors of viral RNA and corroborated 355 hits from existing data sets. Spliceosome factor SFPQ is as a common interactor decreasing RNA production in both viruses when depleted. Intracellular colocalization of SFPQ-ZIKV and SFPQ-CHIKV RNA is confirmed through confocal microscopy imaging of infected cells. Thus, we demonstrate Mango-II aptamer tagging as an innovative strategy for identifying spatiotemporal dynamics and virus-host interactions of viral genomes in positive-strand RNA viruses.
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BibTeX
@article{jablunovsky2026live,
title = {{Live imaging and interactome analysis of Zika and chikungunya viral RNAs via dual-action aptamer tag.}},
author = {Anastazia Jablunovsky and Benjamin M Kropff and Anoop Narayanan and Joyce Jose},
journal = {Nature communications},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-77830-4},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42901910},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Live imaging and interactome analysis of Zika and chikungunya viral RNAs via dual-action aptamer tag.
AU - Anastazia Jablunovsky
AU - Benjamin M Kropff
AU - Anoop Narayanan
AU - Joyce Jose
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/21
JO - Nature communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-77830-4
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42901910
AB - Arthropod-borne, positive-sense RNA viruses encompass many human pathogens posing significant health threats worldwide. Understanding intracellular dynamics and host-factor interactions of the viral genome is essential for devising effective antiviral strategies. Here, we engineer dual-labeled Zika and chikungunya viruses incorporating a Mango-II aptamer for RNA pulldown and real-time imaging, achieving high-resolution imaging of flavivirus RNA in live cells. Tandem imaging with viral replication proteins revealed intracellular dynamics of replication complexes and RNA molecules of these viruses. We identify >200 high-confidence host interactors of viral RNA and corroborated 355 hits from existing data sets. Spliceosome factor SFPQ is as a common interactor decreasing RNA production in both viruses when depleted. Intracellular colocalization of SFPQ-ZIKV and SFPQ-CHIKV RNA is confirmed through confocal microscopy imaging of infected cells. Thus, we demonstrate Mango-II aptamer tagging as an innovative strategy for identifying spatiotemporal dynamics and virus-host interactions of viral genomes in positive-strand RNA viruses.
SN - 2041-1723
ER -