Identification of mayaro virus nucleocapsid protein in nucleus of Aedes albopictus cells

The modifications in the pattern of nuclear proteins of Aedes albopictus cells in response to Mayaro virus infection were analysed early and late after infection. The viral capsid (C) protein of 34 kDa (p34) could be detected in the nuclear compartment 4 h after infection, soon after its synthesis in the cytoplasm. In addition to p34, a group of high molecular weight proteins was also present in this compartment late after infection. The exposition of infected cells to supra optimal temperature of growth modifies significantly the pattern of nuclear proteins. However, the stress condition does not inhibit the transport of p34 to the nucleus. The transport of proteins into nuclei was also followed under ‘in vitro’ conditions by incubating radiolabeled post-mitochondrial extract of infected cells with unlabeled nuclei. Under these conditions, as observed ‘in vivo’, a specific transport of viral C protein and of a group of proteins of high molecular weight to the nuclei was also detected. These results indicate that Mayaro virus infection modifies the nuclear protein pattern in invertebrate cells