Pathogenesis and virulence of Heartland virus

Figures & data

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the HRTV virion and genome organization. HRTV particles are enveloped with the Gn/Gc heterodimers incorporated on the surface. The tripartite single-stranded RNA genome (L, M and S segment) are packaged into ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) by nucleocapsid protein (NP) and viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The L segment encodes RdRp. The M segment encodes Gn and Gc. The S segment encodes NP and the nonstructural protein (NSs) in ambisense orientation.

Figure 2. The model of HRTV NSs interfering with host antiviral responses as a virulence factor. HRTV NSs targets to TBK1 and hinders the association of TBK1 with IRF3, impairing IFN induction (middle). HRTV NSs interacts with STAT2 and dampens STAT2 activities to antagonize both type I and III IFN signalling (right). Additionally, HRTV NSs likely binds to mTOR to induce autophagy for its own benefit (left).

Data Availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.