Involvement of cellular proteins in Junin arenavirus entry

Abstract

Junin arenavirus (JUNV) entry is dependent on clathrin-mediated pathways and it relies on the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton as well as the dynamics of microtubules. To determine the method of entry used by this human pathogen, we have demonstrated that in Vero cells JUNV is trafficked via the cellular dynamin 2 (dyn2) endocytic pathway and it is dependent on the Eps15 GTPase. In addition, we have shown that the virus travels through Rab5-mediated early and Rab7-mediated late endosomes in its pH-dependent entry. Altogether, this study gives further inside into the endocytic pathway utilized by the arenavirus JUNV.