Joaquin Lopez-Orozco, University of Alberta

Joaquin Lopez-Orozco1,* Shu Luo2,* Alberto Felix-Lopez3, Tom C. Hobman1,3,4, Olivier Julien2,4 1Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta. 2Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta 3Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta 4Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology

Expressing & Multiplying

Mayaro virus is a positive-strand RNA virus endemic to the Caribbean and Central and South America. As an emerging mosquito-borne viral disease, it poses significant risks for further expansion, particularly considering global trends such as climate change, urbanization, and increased international travel. Mosquito-transmitted diseases, including Mayaro, infect up to 700 million people annually and result in approximately one million deaths worldwide. As these diseases become an increasing global threat, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying viral infections is essential for the development of effective vaccines and therapeutic strategies. One widely used approach to studying these interactions is co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), coupled with mass spectrometry. In this study, we present a mass spectrometry-based interactome analysis of Mayaro virus proteins in the context of viral infection. During infection, the host proteome undergoes significant changes, including alterations in subcellular protein localization. To capture virus-host protein interactions, we electroporated cells with viral protein baits and then infected them, enabling co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) of both viral and host proteins. Finally, we validated interactions through reciprocal immunoprecipitations, with a particular focus on proteins involved in the interferon response.