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All vertebrate genomes encode for three large histone H2A variants that have an additional metabolite-binding globular macrodomain module, macroH2A. MacroH2A variants impact heterochromatin organization and transcription regulation and establish a barrier for cellular reprogramming. However, the mechanisms of how macroH2A is incorporated into chromatin and the identity of any chaperones required for histone deposition remain elusive. Here, we develop a split-GFP-based assay for chromatin incorporation and use it to conduct a genome-wide mutagenesis screen in haploid human cells to identify proteins that regulate macroH2A dynamics. We show that the histone chaperone ANP32B is a regulator of macroH2A deposition. ANP32B associates with macroH2A in cells and in vitro binds to histones with low nanomolar affinity. In vitro nucleosome assembly assays show that ANP32B stimulates deposition of macroH2A-H2B and not of H2A-H2B onto tetrasomes. In cells, depletion of ANP32B strongly affects global macroH2A chromatin incorporation, revealing ANP32B as a macroH2A histone chaperone., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests A.G.L. is a founder, CSO, and managing director of Eisbach Bio GmbH, a biotechnology company in oncology and virology., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Joint DNA molecules are natural byproducts of DNA replication and repair. Persistent joint molecules give rise to ultrafine DNA bridges (UFBs) in mitosis, compromising sister chromatid separation. The DNA translocase PICH (ERCC6L) has a central role in UFB resolution. A genome-wide loss-of-function screen is performed to identify the genetic context of PICH dependency. In addition to genes involved in DNA condensation, centromere stability, and DNA-damage repair, we identify FIGNL1-interacting regulator of recombination and mitosis (FIRRM), formerly known as C1orf112. We find that FIRRM interacts with and stabilizes the AAA + ATPase FIGNL1. Inactivation of either FIRRM or FIGNL1 results in UFB formation, prolonged accumulation of RAD51 at nuclear foci, and impaired replication fork dynamics and consequently impairs genome maintenance. Combined, our data suggest that inactivation of FIRRM and FIGNL1 dysregulates RAD51 dynamics at replication forks, resulting in persistent DNA lesions and a dependency on PICH to preserve cell viability., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The heme-regulated kinase HRI is activated under heme/iron deficient conditions; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is incompletely understood. Here, we show that iron-deficiency-induced HRI activation requires the mitochondrial protein DELE1. Notably, mitochondrial import of DELE1 and its subsequent protein stability are regulated by iron availability. Under steady-state conditions, DELE1 is degraded by the mitochondrial matrix-resident protease LONP1 soon after mitochondrial import. Upon iron chelation, DELE1 import is arrested, thereby stabilizing DELE1 on the mitochondrial surface to activate the HRI-mediated integrated stress response (ISR). Ablation of this DELE1-HRI-ISR pathway in an erythroid cell model enhances cell death under iron-limited conditions, suggesting a cell-protective role for this pathway in iron-demanding cell lineages. Our findings highlight mitochondrial import regulation of DELE1 as the core component of a previously unrecognized mitochondrial iron responsive pathway that elicits stress signaling following perturbation of iron homeostasis., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bacterial cell wall components provide various unique molecular structures that are detected by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the innate immune system as non-self. Most bacterial species form a cell wall that consists of peptidoglycan (PGN), a polymeric structure comprising alternating amino sugars that form strands cross-linked by short peptides. Muramyl dipeptide (MDP) has been well documented as a minimal immunogenic component of peptidoglycan 1-3 . MDP is sensed by the cytosolic nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 4 (NOD2). Upon engagement, it triggers pro-inflammatory gene expression, and this functionality is of critical importance in maintaining a healthy intestinal barrier function 5 . Here, using a forward genetic screen to identify factors required for MDP detection, we identified N-acetylglucosamine kinase (NAGK) as being essential for the immunostimulatory activity of MDP. NAGK is broadly expressed in immune cells and has previously been described to contribute to the hexosamine biosynthetic salvage pathway 6 . Mechanistically, NAGK functions upstream of NOD2 by directly phosphorylating the N-acetylmuramic acid moiety of MDP at the hydroxyl group of its C6 position, yielding 6-O-phospho-MDP. NAGK-phosphorylated MDP-but not unmodified MDP-constitutes an agonist for NOD2. Macrophages from mice deficient in NAGK are completely deficient in MDP sensing. These results reveal a link between amino sugar metabolism and innate immunity to bacterial cell walls., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Mitochondrial stress triggers a response in the cell's mitochondria and nucleus, but how these stress responses are coordinated in vivo is poorly understood. Here, we characterize a family with myopathy caused by a dominant p.G58R mutation in the mitochondrial protein CHCHD10. To understand the disease etiology, we developed a knockin (KI) mouse model and found that mutant CHCHD10 aggregated in affected tissues, applying a toxic protein stress to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Unexpectedly, the survival of CHCHD10-KI mice depended on a protective stress response mediated by the mitochondrial metalloendopeptidase OMA1. The OMA1 stress response acted both locally within mitochondria, causing mitochondrial fragmentation, and signaled outside the mitochondria, activating the integrated stress response through cleavage of DAP3-binding cell death enhancer 1 (DELE1). We additionally identified an isoform switch in the terminal complex of the electron transport chain as a component of this response. Our results demonstrate that OMA1 was critical for neonatal survival conditionally in the setting of inner mitochondrial membrane stress, coordinating local and global stress responses to reshape the mitochondrial network and proteome.

Protein homeostatic control of mitochondria is key to age-related diseases and organismal decline. However, it is unknown how the diverse types of stress experienced by mitochondria can be integrated and appropriately responded to in human cells. Here we identify perturbations in the ancient conserved processes of mitochondrial protein import and processing as sources of DELE1 activation: DELE1 is continuously sorted across both mitochondrial membranes into the matrix and detects different types of perturbations along the way. DELE1 molecules in transit can become licensed for mitochondrial release and stress signaling through proteolytic removal of N-terminal sorting signals. Import defects that occur at the mitochondrial surface allow DELE1 precursors to bind and activate downstream factor HRI without the need for cleavage. Genome-wide genetics reveal that DELE1 additionally responds to compromised presequence processing by the matrix proteases PITRM1 and MPP, which are mutated in neurodegenerative diseases. These mechanisms rationalize DELE1-dependent mitochondrial stress integration in the human system and may inform future therapies of neuropathies., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Mitochondrial fidelity is a key determinant of longevity and was found to be perturbed in a multitude of disease contexts ranging from neurodegeneration to heart failure. Tight homeostatic control of the mitochondrial proteome is a crucial aspect of mitochondrial function, which is severely complicated by the evolutionary origin and resulting peculiarities of the organelle. This is, on one hand, reflected by a range of basal quality control factors such as mitochondria-resident chaperones and proteases, that assist in import and folding of precursors as well as removal of aggregated proteins. On the other hand, stress causes the activation of several additional mechanisms that counteract any damage that may threaten mitochondrial function. Countermeasures depend on the location and intensity of the stress and on a range of factors that are equipped to sense and signal the nature of the encountered perturbation. Defective mitochondrial import activates mechanisms that combat the accumulation of precursors in the cytosol and the import pore. To resolve proteotoxic stress in the organelle interior, mitochondria depend on nuclear transcriptional programs, such as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response and the integrated stress response. If organelle damage is too severe, mitochondria signal for their own destruction in a process termed mitophagy, thereby preventing further harm to the mitochondrial network and allowing the cell to salvage their biological building blocks. Here, we provide an overview of how different types and intensities of stress activate distinct pathways aimed at preserving mitochondrial fidelity., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Repair of covalent DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs) by DNA-dependent proteases has emerged as an essential genome maintenance mechanism required for cellular viability and tumor suppression. However, how proteolysis is restricted to the crosslinked protein while leaving surrounding chromatin proteins unharmed has remained unknown. Using defined DPC model substrates, we show that the DPC protease SPRTN displays strict DNA structure-specific activity. Strikingly, SPRTN cleaves DPCs at or in direct proximity to disruptions within double-stranded DNA. In contrast, proteins crosslinked to intact double- or single-stranded DNA are not cleaved by SPRTN. NMR spectroscopy data suggest that specificity is not merely affinity-driven but achieved through a flexible bipartite strategy based on two DNA binding interfaces recognizing distinct structural features. This couples DNA context to activation of the enzyme, tightly confining SPRTN's action to biologically relevant scenarios., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mitochondrial fidelity is tightly linked to overall cellular homeostasis and is compromised in ageing and various pathologies 1-3 . Mitochondrial malfunction needs to be relayed to the cytosol, where an integrated stress response is triggered by the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) in mammalian cells 4,5 . eIF2α phosphorylation is mediated by the four eIF2α kinases GCN2, HRI, PERK and PKR, which are activated by diverse types of cellular stress 6 . However, the machinery that communicates mitochondrial perturbation to the cytosol to trigger the integrated stress response remains unknown 1,2,7 . Here we combine genome engineering and haploid genetics to unbiasedly identify genes that affect the induction of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), a key factor in the integrated stress response. We show that the mitochondrial protease OMA1 and the poorly characterized protein DELE1, together with HRI, constitute the missing pathway that is triggered by mitochondrial stress. Mechanistically, stress-induced activation of OMA1 causes DELE1 to be cleaved into a short form that accumulates in the cytosol, where it binds to and activates HRI via its C-terminal portion. Obstruction of this pathway can be beneficial or adverse depending on the type of mitochondrial perturbation. In addition to the core pathway components, our comparative genetic screening strategy identifies a suite of additional regulators. Together, these findings could be used to inform future strategies to modulate the cellular response to mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of human disease.

The sterol-regulatory element binding proteins (SREBP) are central transcriptional regulators of lipid metabolism. Using haploid genetic screens we identify the SREBP Regulating Gene (SPRING/C12ORF49) as a determinant of the SREBP pathway. SPRING is a glycosylated Golgi-resident membrane protein and its ablation in Hap1 cells, Hepa1-6 hepatoma cells, and primary murine hepatocytes reduces SREBP signaling. In mice, Spring deletion is embryonic lethal yet silencing of hepatic Spring expression also attenuates the SREBP response. Mechanistically, attenuated SREBP signaling in SPRING KO cells results from reduced SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) and its mislocalization to the Golgi irrespective of the cellular sterol status. Consistent with limited functional SCAP in SPRING KO cells, reintroducing SCAP restores SREBP-dependent signaling and function. Moreover, in line with the role of SREBP in tumor growth, a wide range of tumor cell lines display dependency on SPRING expression. In conclusion, we identify SPRING as a previously unrecognized modulator of SREBP signaling.

Experimental and clinical observations have highlighted the role of cytotoxic T cells in human tumor control. However, the parameters that control tumor cell sensitivity to T cell attack remain incompletely understood. To identify modulators of tumor cell sensitivity to T cell effector mechanisms, we performed a whole genome haploid screen in HAP1 cells. Selection of tumor cells by exposure to tumor-specific T cells identified components of the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) receptor (IFNGR) signaling pathway, and tumor cell killing by cytotoxic T cells was shown to be in large part mediated by the pro-apoptotic effects of IFN-γ. Notably, we identified schlafen 11 (SLFN11), a known modulator of DNA damage toxicity, as a regulator of tumor cell sensitivity to T cell-secreted IFN-γ. SLFN11 does not influence IFNGR signaling, but couples IFNGR signaling to the induction of the DNA damage response (DDR) in a context dependent fashion. In line with this role of SLFN11, loss of SLFN11 can reduce IFN-γ mediated toxicity. Collectively, our data indicate that SLFN11 can couple IFN-γ exposure of tumor cells to DDR and cellular apoptosis. Future work should reveal the mechanistic basis for the link between IFNGR signaling and DNA damage response, and identify tumor cell types in which SLFN11 contributes to the anti-tumor activity of T cells., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Loss of BRCA2 affects genome stability and is deleterious for cellular survival. Using a genome-wide genetic screen in near-haploid KBM-7 cells, we show that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) signaling is a determinant of cell survival upon BRCA2 inactivation. Specifically, inactivation of the TNF receptor (TNFR1) or its downstream effector SAM68 rescues cell death induced by BRCA2 inactivation. BRCA2 inactivation leads to pro-inflammatory cytokine production, including TNFα, and increases sensitivity to TNFα. Enhanced TNFα sensitivity is not restricted to BRCA2 inactivation, as BRCA1 or FANCD2 inactivation, or hydroxyurea treatment also sensitizes cells to TNFα. Mechanistically, BRCA2 inactivation leads to cGAS-positive micronuclei and results in a cell-intrinsic interferon response, as assessed by quantitative mass-spectrometry and gene expression profiling, and requires ASK1 and JNK signaling. Combined, our data reveals that micronuclei induced by loss of BRCA2 instigate a cGAS/STING-mediated interferon response, which encompasses re-wired TNFα signaling and enhances TNFα sensitivity.

The zoonotic transmission of hantaviruses from their rodent hosts to humans in North and South America is associated with a severe and frequently fatal respiratory disease, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) 1,2 . No specific antiviral treatments for HPS are available, and no molecular determinants of in vivo susceptibility to hantavirus infection and HPS are known. Here we identify the human asthma-associated gene protocadherin-1 (PCDH1) 3-6 as an essential determinant of entry and infection in pulmonary endothelial cells by two hantaviruses that cause HPS, Andes virus (ANDV) and Sin Nombre virus (SNV). In vitro, we show that the surface glycoproteins of ANDV and SNV directly recognize the outermost extracellular repeat domain of PCDH1-a member of the cadherin superfamily 7,8 -to exploit PCDH1 for entry. In vivo, genetic ablation of PCDH1 renders Syrian golden hamsters highly resistant to a usually lethal ANDV challenge. Targeting PCDH1 could provide strategies to reduce infection and disease caused by New World hantaviruses.

Elucidating which host factors are exploited by viruses to infect target cells is key to our understanding of how these pathogens cause disease and how it might be counteracted by future therapies. Pooled gene-trap mutagenesis of haploid human HAP1 cells has proven to be a formidable tool for revealing genes involved in the infection process for a suite of human pathogenic viruses. This method has led to the identification of a number of virus receptors and unconventional entry mechanisms into human cells. In the case of Ebola virus, for example, the discovery of the lysosomal protein NPC1 as an intracellular receptor sparked the development of tailored strategies to interfere with viral infection. The "single tube" pooled screening technique presented here does not require any automation or robotics and is potentially applicable to any virus able to infect HAP1 cells.

Background: The phenotypic severity of congenital muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy (MDDG) syndromes associated with aberrant glycosylation of α-dystroglycan ranges from the severe Walker-Warburg syndrome or muscle-eye-brain disease to mild, late-onset, isolated limb-girdle muscular dystrophy without neural involvement. However, muscular dystrophy is invariably found across the spectrum of MDDG patients., Methods: Using linkage mapping and whole-exome sequencing in two families with an unexplained neurodevelopmental disorder, we have identified homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations in B3GALNT2., Results: The first family comprises two brothers of Dutch non-consanguineous parents presenting with mild ID and behavioral problems. Immunohistochemical analysis of muscle biopsy revealed no significant aberrations, in line with the absence of a muscular phenotype in the affected siblings. The second family includes five affected individuals from an Iranian consanguineous kindred with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability (ID) and epilepsy without any notable neuroimaging, muscle, or eye abnormalities. Complementation assays of the compound heterozygous mutations identified in the two brothers had a comparable effect on the O-glycosylation of α-dystroglycan as previously reported mutations that are associated with severe muscular phenotypes., Conclusions: In conclusion, we show that mutations in B3GALNT2 can give rise to a novel MDDG syndrome presentation, characterized by ID associated variably with seizure, but without any apparent muscular involvement. Importantly, B3GALNT2 activity does not fully correlate with the severity of the phenotype as assessed by the complementation assay.

Arenaviruses cause fatal hemorrhagic disease in humans. Old World arenavirus glycoproteins (GPs) mainly engage α-dystroglycan as a cell-surface receptor, while New World arenaviruses hijack transferrin receptor. However, the Lujo virus (LUJV) GP does not cluster with New or Old World arenaviruses. Using a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus containing LUJV GP as its sole attachment and fusion protein (VSV-LUJV), we demonstrate that infection is independent of known arenavirus receptor genes. A genome-wide haploid genetic screen identified the transmembrane protein neuropilin 2 (NRP2) and tetraspanin CD63 as factors for LUJV GP-mediated infection. LUJV GP binds the N-terminal domain of NRP2, while CD63 stimulates pH-activated LUJV GP-mediated membrane fusion. Overexpression of NRP2 or its N-terminal domain enhances VSV-LUJV infection, and cells lacking NRP2 are deficient in wild-type LUJV infection. These findings uncover this distinct set of host cell entry factors in LUJV infection and are attractive focus points for therapeutic intervention., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The clinical benefit for patients with diverse types of metastatic cancers that has been observed upon blockade of the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1 has highlighted the importance of this inhibitory axis in the suppression of tumour-specific T-cell responses. Notwithstanding the key role of PD-L1 expression by cells within the tumour micro-environment, our understanding of the regulation of the PD-L1 protein is limited. Here we identify, using a haploid genetic screen, CMTM6, a type-3 transmembrane protein of previously unknown function, as a regulator of the PD-L1 protein. Interference with CMTM6 expression results in impaired PD-L1 protein expression in all human tumour cell types tested and in primary human dendritic cells. Furthermore, through both a haploid genetic modifier screen in CMTM6-deficient cells and genetic complementation experiments, we demonstrate that this function is shared by its closest family member, CMTM4, but not by any of the other CMTM members tested. Notably, CMTM6 increases the PD-L1 protein pool without affecting PD-L1 (also known as CD274) transcription levels. Rather, we demonstrate that CMTM6 is present at the cell surface, associates with the PD-L1 protein, reduces its ubiquitination and increases PD-L1 protein half-life. Consistent with its role in PD-L1 protein regulation, CMTM6 enhances the ability of PD-L1-expressing tumour cells to inhibit T cells. Collectively, our data reveal that PD-L1 relies on CMTM6/4 to efficiently carry out its inhibitory function, and suggest potential new avenues to block this pathway.

As key executers of biological functions, the activity and abundance of proteins are subjected to extensive regulation. Deciphering the genetic architecture underlying this regulation is critical for understanding cellular signalling events and responses to environmental cues. Using random mutagenesis in haploid human cells, we apply a sensitive approach to directly couple genomic mutations to protein measurements in individual cells. Here we use this to examine a suite of cellular processes, such as transcriptional induction, regulation of protein abundance and splicing, signalling cascades (mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), protein kinase B (AKT), interferon, and Wingless and Int-related protein (WNT) pathways) and epigenetic modifications (histone crotonylation and methylation). This scalable, sequencing-based procedure elucidates the genetic landscapes that control protein states, identifying genes that cause very narrow phenotypic effects and genes that lead to broad phenotypic consequences. The resulting genetic wiring map identifies the E3-ligase substrate adaptor KCTD5 (ref. 1) as a negative regulator of the AKT pathway, a key signalling cascade frequently deregulated in cancer. KCTD5-deficient cells show elevated levels of phospho-AKT at S473 that could not be attributed to effects on canonical pathway components. To reveal the genetic requirements for this phenotype, we iteratively analysed the regulatory network linked to AKT activity in the knockout background. This genetic modifier screen exposes suppressors of the KCTD5 phenotype and mechanistically demonstrates that KCTD5 acts as an off-switch for GPCR signalling by triggering proteolysis of Gβγ heterodimers dissociated from the Gα subunit. Although biological networks have previously been constructed on the basis of gene expression, protein-protein associations, or genetic interaction profiles, we foresee that the approach described here will enable the generation of a comprehensive genetic wiring map for human cells on the basis of quantitative protein states.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are currently the leading candidates for virus-based gene therapies because of their broad tissue tropism, non-pathogenic nature and low immunogenicity. They have been successfully used in clinical trials to treat hereditary diseases such as haemophilia B (ref. 2), and have been approved for treatment of lipoprotein lipase deficiency in Europe. Considerable efforts have been made to engineer AAV variants with novel and biomedically valuable cell tropisms to allow efficacious systemic administration, yet basic aspects of AAV cellular entry are still poorly understood. In particular, the protein receptor(s) required for AAV entry after cell attachment remains unknown. Here we use an unbiased genetic screen to identify proteins essential for AAV serotype 2 (AAV2) infection in a haploid human cell line. The most significantly enriched gene of the screen encodes a previously uncharacterized type I transmembrane protein, KIAA0319L (denoted hereafter as AAV receptor (AAVR)). We characterize AAVR as a protein capable of rapid endocytosis from the plasma membrane and trafficking to the trans-Golgi network. We show that AAVR directly binds to AAV2 particles, and that anti-AAVR antibodies efficiently block AAV2 infection. Moreover, genetic ablation of AAVR renders a wide range of mammalian cell types highly resistant to AAV2 infection. Notably, AAVR serves as a critical host factor for all tested AAV serotypes. The importance of AAVR for in vivo gene delivery is further highlighted by the robust resistance of Aavr(-/-) (also known as Au040320(-/-) and Kiaa0319l(-/-)) mice to AAV infection. Collectively, our data indicate that AAVR is a universal receptor involved in AAV infection.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging pathogen that can cause severe respiratory disease and is associated with cases of paralysis, especially among children. Heretofore, information on host factor requirements for EV-D68 infection is scarce. Haploid genetic screening is a powerful tool to reveal factors involved in the entry of pathogens. We performed a genome-wide haploid screen with the EV-D68 prototype Fermon strain to obtain a comprehensive overview of cellular factors supporting EV-D68 infection. We identified and confirmed several genes involved in sialic acid (Sia) biosynthesis, transport, and conjugation to be essential for infection. Moreover, by using knockout cell lines and gene reconstitution, we showed that both α2,6- and α2,3-linked Sia can be used as functional cellular EV-D68 receptors. Importantly, the screen did not reveal a specific protein receptor, suggesting that EV-D68 can use multiple redundant sialylated receptors. Upon testing recent clinical strains, we identified strains that showed a similar Sia dependency, whereas others could infect cells lacking surface Sia, indicating they can use an alternative, nonsialylated receptor. Nevertheless, these Sia-independent strains were still able to bind Sia on human erythrocytes, raising the possibility that these viruses can use multiple receptors. Sequence comparison of Sia-dependent and Sia-independent EV-D68 strains showed that many changes occurred near the canyon that might allow alternative receptor binding. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the identity of the EV-D68 receptor and suggest the possible existence of Sia-independent viruses, which are essential for understanding tropism and disease.

A unique, unsolved O-mannosyl glycan on α-dystroglycan is essential for its interaction with protein ligands in the extracellular matrix. Defective O-mannosylation leads to a group of muscular dystrophies, called dystroglycanopathies. Mutations in isoprenoid synthase domain containing (ISPD) represent the second most common cause of these disorders, however, its molecular function remains uncharacterized. The human ISPD (hISPD) crystal structure showed a canonical N-terminal cytidyltransferase domain linked to a C-terminal domain that is absent in cytidyltransferase homologs. Functional studies demonstrated cytosolic localization of hISPD, and cytidyltransferase activity toward pentose phosphates, including ribulose 5-phosphate, ribose 5-phosphate, and ribitol 5-phosphate. Identity of the CDP sugars was confirmed by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our combined results indicate that hISPD is a cytidyltransferase, suggesting the presence of a novel human nucleotide sugar essential for functional α-dystroglycan O-mannosylation in muscle and brain. Thereby, ISPD deficiency can be added to the growing list of tertiary dystroglycanopathies., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Although the genes essential for life have been identified in less complex model organisms, their elucidation in human cells has been hindered by technical barriers. We used extensive mutagenesis in haploid human cells to identify approximately 2000 genes required for optimal fitness under culture conditions. To study the principles of genetic interactions in human cells, we created a synthetic lethality network focused on the secretory pathway based exclusively on mutations. This revealed a genetic cross-talk governing Golgi homeostasis, an additional subunit of the human oligosaccharyltransferase complex, and a phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase β adaptor hijacked by viruses. The synthetic lethality map parallels observations made in yeast and projects a route forward to reveal genetic networks in diverse aspects of human cell biology., (Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.)

Unlabelled: Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes recurrent insect-borne epizootics throughout the African continent, and infection of humans can lead to a lethal hemorrhagic fever syndrome. Deep mutagenesis of haploid human cells was used to identify host factors required for RVFV infection. This screen identified a suite of enzymes involved in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biogenesis and transport, including several components of the cis-oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex, one of the central components of Golgi complex trafficking. In addition, disruption of PTAR1 led to RVFV resistance as well as reduced heparan sulfate surface levels, consistent with recent observations that PTAR1-deficient cells exhibit altered Golgi complex morphology and glycosylation defects. A variety of biochemical and genetic approaches were utilized to show that both pathogenic and attenuated RVFV strains require GAGs for efficient infection on some, but not all, cell types, with the block to infection being at the level of virion attachment. Examination of other members of the Bunyaviridae family for GAG-dependent infection suggested that the interaction with GAGs is not universal among bunyaviruses, indicating that these viruses, as well as RVFV on certain cell types, employ additional unidentified virion attachment factors and/or receptors., Importance: Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an emerging pathogen that can cause severe disease in humans and animals. Epizootics among livestock populations lead to high mortality rates and can be economically devastating. Human epidemics of Rift Valley fever, often initiated by contact with infected animals, are characterized by a febrile disease that sometimes leads to encephalitis or hemorrhagic fever. The global burden of the pathogen is increasing because it has recently disseminated beyond Africa, which is of particular concern because the virus can be transmitted by widely distributed mosquito species. There are no FDA-licensed vaccines or antiviral agents with activity against RVFV, and details of its life cycle and interaction with host cells are not well characterized. We used the power of genetic screening in human cells and found that RVFV utilizes glycosaminoglycans to attach to host cells. This furthers our understanding of the virus and informs the development of antiviral therapeutics., (Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Ebola virus and Lassa virus belong to different virus families that can cause viral hemorrhagic fever, a life-threatening disease in humans with limited treatment options. To infect a target cell, Ebola and Lassa viruses engage receptors at the cell surface and are subsequently shuttled into the endosomal compartment. Upon arrival in late endosomes/lysosomes, the viruses trigger membrane fusion to release their genome into the cytoplasm. Although contact sites at the cell surface were recognized for Ebola virus and Lassa virus, it was postulated that Ebola virus requires a critical receptor inside the cell. Recent screens for host factors identified such internal receptors for both viruses: Niemann-Pick disease type C1 protein (NPC1) for Ebola virus and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) for Lassa virus. A cellular trigger is needed to permit binding of the viral envelope protein to these intracellular receptors. This 'receptor switch' represents a previously unnoticed step in virus entry with implications for host-pathogen interactions and viral tropism., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Hantaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the Old World and a highly fatal hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the New World. No vaccines or antiviral therapies are currently available to prevent or treat hantavirus disease, and gaps in our understanding of how hantaviruses enter cells challenge the search for therapeutics. We performed a haploid genetic screen in human cells to identify host factors required for entry by Andes virus, a highly virulent New World hantavirus. We found that multiple genes involved in cholesterol sensing, regulation, and biosynthesis, including key components of the sterol response element-binding protein (SREBP) pathway, are critical for Andes virus entry. Genetic or pharmacological disruption of the membrane-bound transcription factor peptidase/site-1 protease (MBTPS1/S1P), an SREBP control element, dramatically reduced infection by virulent hantaviruses of both the Old World and New World clades but not by rhabdoviruses or alphaviruses, indicating that this pathway is broadly, but selectively, required by hantaviruses. These results could be fully explained as arising from the modest depletion of cellular membrane cholesterol that accompanied S1P disruption. Mechanistic studies of cells and with protein-free liposomes suggested that high levels of cholesterol are specifically needed for hantavirus membrane fusion. Taken together, our results indicate that the profound dependence on target membrane cholesterol is a fundamental, and unusual, biophysical property of hantavirus glycoprotein-membrane interactions during entry., Importance: Although hantaviruses cause important human diseases worldwide, no specific antiviral treatments are available. One of the major obstacles to the development of new therapies is a lack of understanding of how hantaviruses hijack our own host factors to enter cells. Here, we identified multiple cellular genes that control the levels of cholesterol in cellular membranes to be important for hantavirus entry. Our findings suggest that high concentrations of cholesterol in cellular membranes are required at a specific step in the entry process-fusion between viral and cellular membranes-that allows escape of the hantavirus genome into the host cell cytoplasm to initiate infection. Our findings uncover a fundamental feature of the hantavirus infection mechanism and point to cholesterol-lowering drugs as a potential new treatment of hantaviral infections., (Copyright © 2015 Kleinfelter et al.)

Lassa virus spreads from a rodent to humans and can lead to lethal hemorrhagic fever. Despite its broad tropism, chicken cells were reported 30 years ago to resist infection. We found that Lassa virus readily engaged its cell-surface receptor α-dystroglycan in avian cells, but virus entry in susceptible species involved a pH-dependent switch to an intracellular receptor, the lysosome-resident protein LAMP1. Iterative haploid screens revealed that the sialyltransferase ST3GAL4 was required for the interaction of the virus glycoprotein with LAMP1. A single glycosylated residue in LAMP1, present in susceptible species but absent in birds, was essential for interaction with the Lassa virus envelope protein and subsequent infection. The resistance of Lamp1-deficient mice to Lassa virus highlights the relevance of this receptor switch in vivo., (Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.)

Glycosylated α-dystroglycan (α-DG) serves as cellular entry receptor for multiple pathogens, and defects in its glycosylation cause hereditary Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS). At least eight proteins are critical to glycosylate α-DG, but many genes mutated in WWS remain unknown. To identify modifiers of α-DG, we performed a haploid screen for Lassa virus entry, a hemorrhagic fever virus causing thousands of deaths annually that hijacks glycosylated α-DG to enter cells. In complementary screens, we profiled cells for absence of α-DG carbohydrate chains or biochemically related glycans. This revealed virus host factors and a suite of glycosylation units, including all known Walker-Warburg genes and five additional factors critical for the modification of α-DG. Our findings accentuate the complexity of this posttranslational feature and point out genes defective in dystroglycanopathies.