Identifying restriction factors for hemorrhagic fever viruses: Dengue and Junín

Abstract

Host restriction factors are cellular components that interfere with viral multiplication. They are up-regulatedand expressed upon viral infection and in consequence their activity is specific. So far severalimportant restriction factors have been described against diverse viruses. The cellular antiviral mechanismsdefined include proteins with the ability to interfere with early steps of viral replication and others that havebeen shown to block viral morphogenesis. However, other strategies by which the antiviral action is exertedstill remain elusive. An additional interesting matter is how viruses also developed ways to by-pass thesehost-specific obstacles. Thus, unusual cell localization or re-localization represents a frequent virus choiceto evade the cellular surveillance. In the present chapter, we summarize methods to identify cell restrictionfactors, their antiviral activity, and possible subcellular locations where their activity can take place.