Dengue-2-virus-interacting polypeptides involved in mosquito cell infection

For the design of effective antiviral strategies, understanding the fundamental steps of the virus life cycle, including virus-host interactions, is essential. We performed a virus overlay protein binding assay followed by proteomics for identification of proteins from membrane fractions of A7 (Aedes aegypti) cells, C6/36 (Aedes albopictus) cells and the midgut brush border membrane fraction of Ae. aegypti mosquito that bind to dengue-2 virus. Actin, ATP synthase beta subunit, HSc 70, orisis, prohibitin, tubulin beta chain, and vav-1 were identified as dengue-2-virus-binding proteins. Our results suggest that dengue-2 virus exploits an array of housekeeping proteins for its entry in mosquito cells.