Pseudorabies virus tegument protein UL13 recruits RNF5 to inhibit STING-mediated antiviral immunity

PLoS Pathog. 2022 May 18;18(5):e1010544. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010544. eCollection 2022 May.

Abstract

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) has evolved various immune evasion mechanisms that target host antiviral immune responses. However, it is unclear whether and how PRV encoded proteins modulate the cGAS-STING axis for immune evasion. Here, we show that PRV tegument protein UL13 inhibits STING-mediated antiviral signaling via regulation of STING stability. Mechanistically, UL13 interacts with the CDN domain of STING and recruits the E3 ligase RING-finger protein 5 (RNF5) to promote K27-/K29-linked ubiquitination and degradation of STING. Consequently, deficiency of RNF5 enhances host antiviral immune responses triggered by PRV infection. In addition, mutant PRV lacking UL13 impaired in antagonism of STING-mediated production of type I IFNs and shows attenuated pathogenicity in mice. Our findings suggest that PRV UL13 functions as an antagonist of IFN signaling via a novel mechanism by targeting STING to persistently evade host antiviral responses.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Herpesvirus 1, Suid* / immunology
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Membrane Proteins* / immunology
  • Mice
  • Protein Kinases* / immunology
  • Pseudorabies* / immunology
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* / immunology
  • Viral Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Sting1 protein, mouse
  • Viral Proteins
  • RNF5 protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Protein Kinases

Grants and funding

Y.S. is supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 32072869); Y.S. and L.S. were supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 31941015). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.