It is well established that +ssRNA viruses manipulate cellular lipid homoeostasis and distribution to facilitate efficient replication. Here, we show that the cellular lipid ceramide is redistributed to the West Nile virus strain Kunjin virus (WNVKUN) replication complex (RC) but not to the dengue virus serotype 2 strain New Guinea C (DENVNGC) RC. We show that prolonged chemical inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase with myriocin had a significant deleterious effect on WNVKUN replication but enhanced DENVNGC replication. Additionally, inhibition of ceramide synthase with Fumonisin B1 had a detrimental effect on WNVKUN replication and release of infectious virus particles but contrastingly an enhancing effect on DENVNGC replication and virus production. These observations suggest that ceramide production via the de novo and salvage pathway is a requirement for WNVKUN replication but inhibitory for DENVNGC replication. Thus, although these two viruses are from the same genus, they have a differential ceramide requirement for replication.
Keywords: Ceramide; Dengue virus; Virus replication; West Nile virus.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.