| First Author | Sun L | Year | 2021 |
| Journal | PLoS Pathog | Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 12 | Pages | e1010113 |
| PubMed ID | 34871328 | Mgi Jnum | J:316472 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6836508 | Doi | 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010113 |
| Citation | Sun L, et al. (2021) Genome-scale CRISPR screen identifies TMEM41B as a multi-function host factor required for coronavirus replication. PLoS Pathog 17(12):e1010113 |
| abstractText | Emerging coronaviruses (CoVs) pose a severe threat to human and animal health worldwide. To identify host factors required for CoV infection, we used alpha-CoV transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) as a model for genome-scale CRISPR knockout (KO) screening. Transmembrane protein 41B (TMEM41B) was found to be a bona fide host factor involved in infection by CoV and three additional virus families. We found that TMEM41B is critical for the internalization and early-stage replication of TGEV. Notably, our results also showed that cells lacking TMEM41B are unable to form the double-membrane vesicles necessary for TGEV replication, indicating that TMEM41B contributes to the formation of CoV replication organelles. Lastly, our data from a mouse infection model showed that the KO of this factor can strongly inhibit viral infection and delay the progression of a CoV disease. Our study revealed that targeting TMEM41B is a highly promising approach for the development of broad-spectrum anti-viral therapeutics. |
