Proteomic analysis of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus virions

To accomplish their replication cycle, retroviruses rely heavily on a wide variety of cellular proteins and enzymes, such as helicases. Among these, the DExD-box and DEAH/RHA-box helicases were identified to play crucial roles in their nucleic acid metabolism. This study explores the Betaretrovirus Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV), which uniquely encodes a G-patch motif - a feature shared with several endogenous retroviruses. Typically found in eukaryotic RNA-binding proteins, G-patch acts as cofactors for DEAH-box RNA helicases, guiding them to specific sub-cellular sites and activating them in diverse RNA metabolic pathways. Despite its established importance in the betaretrovirus replication cycle, the function of the G-patch still needs to be discovered. Using MS analysis, we identified DHX15, a cellular DEAH-box RNA helicase, as host cell protein macked into mature virions. Further research illuminates the complex interplay between retroviruses and host cellular machinery, highlighting the pivotal role of helicases in viral replication processes.