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Figure 9 | BMC Microbiology

Figure 9

From: Profilin is required for viral morphogenesis, syncytium formation, and cell-specific stress fiber induction by respiratory syncytial virus

Figure 9

Model for host-RSV interacting pathways involving profilin (see Results and Discussion for details). F is postulated to activate cellular NF-κB, leading to the activation of a large family of NF-κB-responsive genes, including cytokeratin-17 [44]. NF-κB may also be activated by other RSV proteins, such as P [21]. F also activates RhoA, and this may lead to long actin stress fibers in selected cells, and perhaps shorter actin filaments in all cells, which may be important for cell fusion. The double-headed arrow between N/P and profilin means that we simply know that they interact, but not know the directionality of signaling between them. Membrane microdomains may serve as sites of assembly for virion particles, and anchoring of all forms of F-actin, RhoA, cytokeratin-17, and possibly other cytoskeletal components such as caveolin-1. Together, profilin is responsible for at least three morphologically visible "effects" shown on far right. Although profilin is depicted to work through actin, the possibility that profilin may directly participate in these effects is not excluded. Other actin-regulatory proteins may also play additional roles, but are not shown.

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