Discovery of Zika virus host dependency factors in trophoblasts using CRISPR/Cas9 screening.

Authors:
Marion Rother, Christiane Dimmler, Friderike Weege, Hans-Joachim Mollenkopf, Thomas F Meyer, Michael Naumann
Year of publication:
2021
Volume:
290
Issue:
-
Issn:
0166-0934
Journal title abbreviated:
J VIROL METHODS
Journal title long:
Journal of virological methods / editor-in-chief A.J. Zuckerman
Impact factor:
1.786
Abstract:
Emerging mosquito-borne RNA viruses cause massive health complications worldwide. The Zika virus (ZIKV), in particular, has spread dramatically since 2007 and has provoked epidemics in the Americas and the South Pacific. The lack of antiviral therapy and vaccination has focused research on the investigation of ZIKV-host interactions, in order to understand underlying molecular infection mechanisms. We have established an approach for the analysis of ZIKV host dependency factors in a human trophoblast cell line and applied genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout mutagenesis. The presented method is especially of value for the identification of factors that are essential for placental infection with the potential to serve as targets for antiviral treatment.