Viral tegument proteins restrict cGAS-DNA phase separation to mediate immune evasion

Guangjun Xu; Chong Liu; Sheng Zhou; Quanjin Li; Yun Feng; Panpan Sun; Han Feng; Yina Gao; Jingpeng Zhu; Xiu Luo; Qi Zhan; Songqing Liu; Shu Zhu; Hongyu Deng; Dong Li; Pu Gao

doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2021.05.002

Viral tegument proteins restrict cGAS-DNA phase separation to mediate immune evasion

Mol Cell. 2021 Jul 1;81(13):2823-2837.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.05.002. Epub 2021 May 19.

Authors

Guangjun Xu¹, Chong Liu², Sheng Zhou³, Quanjin Li¹, Yun Feng⁴, Panpan Sun¹, Han Feng⁵, Yina Gao⁵, Jingpeng Zhu¹, Xiu Luo¹, Qi Zhan¹, Songqing Liu⁵, Shu Zhu⁶, Hongyu Deng⁷, Dong Li⁸, Pu Gao⁹

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
² National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
⁴ Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
⁵ CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
⁶ Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
⁷ CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: hydeng@moon.ibp.ac.cn.
⁸ National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510320, China. Electronic address: lidong@ibp.ac.cn.
⁹ CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510320, China. Electronic address: gaopu@ibp.ac.cn.

PMID: 34015248
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.05.002

Abstract

DNA-induced liquid-liquid phase separation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) triggers a potent response to detect pathogen infection and promote innate immune signaling. Whether and how pathogens manipulate cGAS-DNA condensation to mediate immune evasion is unknown. We report the identification of a structurally related viral tegument protein family, represented by ORF52 and VP22 from gamma- and alpha-herpesvirinae, respectively, that employs a conserved mechanism to restrict cGAS-DNA phase separation. ORF52/VP22 proteins accumulate into, and effectively disrupt, the pre-formed cGAS-DNA condensation both in vitro and in cells. The inhibition process is dependent on DNA-induced liquid-liquid phase separation of the viral protein rather than a direct interaction with cGAS. Moreover, highly abundant ORF52 proteins carried within viral particles are able to target cGAS-DNA phase separation in early infection stage. Our results define ORF52/VP22-type tegument proteins as a family of inhibitors targeting cGAS-DNA phase separation and demonstrate a mechanism for how viruses overcome innate immunity.

Keywords: ORF52; ORF9; VP22; cGAS; cGAS-STING pathway; herpesvirus; host-pathogen interaction; phase separation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alphaherpesvirinae* / chemistry
Alphaherpesvirinae* / genetics
Alphaherpesvirinae* / immunology
Betaherpesvirinae* / chemistry
Betaherpesvirinae* / genetics
Betaherpesvirinae* / immunology
DNA* / chemistry
DNA* / genetics
DNA* / immunology
HEK293 Cells
HeLa Cells
Herpesviridae Infections* / genetics
Herpesviridae Infections* / immunology
Humans
Immune Evasion*
Immunity, Innate
Nucleotidyltransferases* / chemistry
Nucleotidyltransferases* / genetics
Nucleotidyltransferases* / immunology
Viral Structural Proteins* / chemistry
Viral Structural Proteins* / genetics
Viral Structural Proteins* / immunology

Substances

Viral Structural Proteins
DNA
Nucleotidyltransferases
cGAS protein, human