Cell lines and viruses
Mouse Neuroblastoma (Neuro-2a) cell line (ECACC Cat No.89121404, Sigma) and African green monkey kidney cells (Vero) (ECACC Cat. No. 84113001, Sigma) were grown and maintained as explained in our previous research article [11]. The quantification of Chandipura virus (CHPV) strain used in this study (Isolate no.034267) [12] was performed as per the standardized protocol [11, 13].
Cloning of CHPV N gene in E.coli based expression plasmids
The CHPV genomic RNA was extracted using RNAiso plus reagent (TaKaRa, Japan) and cDNA was prepared by AMV-RT (Promega Corporation, Madison, USA) as per manufacturer’s instructions. The gene specific primers used to amplify the CHPV N gene are mentioned in Table no 1. The full length CHPV N gene was cloned into pET28a (+) bacterial expression vector.
Expression and purification of recombinant CHPV N protein
The pET28a vector having CHPV N gene was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells. The expression of recombinant N protein was induced using 1mM IPTG (Isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside, Sigma) at 18 °C for overnight. The cells were harvested, pelleted and lysed into bacterial lysis buffer (50mM Tris-pH 8.0, 500mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 0.1% Triton X-100). The cell lysate was clarified by centrifugation. The clear supernatant was applied to a Ni-NTA-agarose column pre-equilibrated with bacterial lysis buffer. The recombinant His-tagged CHPV N protein was purified under native conditions as per manufactures protocol (Thermofischer, USA). The eluted fractions from the Ni-NTA columns were pooled, dialyzed and used for western blot analysis as described earlier [11] using anti-CHPV N antibody (1:1000) and Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated anti rabbit IgG (Thermofischer, USA).
Pull down assay
Confluently grown Neuro-2a cells were lysed in RSB-Triton X-100 lysis buffer (10 mM Tris-pH8.0, 1.5mM MgCl2, 10mM NaCl, 0.1% Triton X-100, 1mM EDTA) containing 20 mM imidazole and EDTA free protease cocktail inhibitor. The cell lysate was clarified by centrifugation at 4°C. The soluble cytoplasmic fraction was pre-cleared by incubating the lysate with Ni-NTA agarose that was pre-equilibrated with RSB-Triton X-100 lysis buffer. The pre-cleared lysate was used to pull down cellular proteins interacting with purified N protein bound to Ni-NTA agarose beads by incubating the clarified cell lysate with n protein bound Ni-NTA resin. The resin was washed extensively with interaction buffer (50 mM NaH2PO4, 200mM NaCl, 0.1% Triton X-100) and cellular proteins interacting with the immobilized N proteins were eluted in high ionic strength buffer (50 mM NaH2PO4, 500mM NaCl). The eluted cellular proteins were concentrated by Tri-chloro-acetic acid (TCA) precipitation. The elute fractions were separated on 12% SDS-PAGE and stained with colloidal Coomassie brilliant blue (CBB) stain for overnight.
Protein Identification by Q-TOF LC-MS
The SDS-PAGE protein bands were subjected for in-gel tryptic digestion and examined by Q-TOF LC-MS analysis (Agilent 6540 Q-TOF MS). The resulting peptide sequences were analyzed against SWISS-PROTdatabase available in MASCOT search tool.
In-silico analysis of protein-protein interaction
The structure of CHPV N protein was constructed using chain J (pdb id: 5uk4) of VSV N protein complex and the homology model of CHPV N (Uniprot ID: P11211) available from the SWISS-PROT. The molecular docking between the structure of CHPV N protein and selected cellular proteins was performed by ZDOCK module in Discovery Studio software. Top poses in largest cluster were manually observed and selected for Refine docked protein program (rDock) in Discovery Studio software. The refined poses again sorted according to E_Dock value. The pose having lowest EDock value was selected and the docked protein interfaces were analyzed.
Absolute Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR)
Total cellular RNA was isolated from the CHPV infected (0.1 MOI) and mock-infected Neuro-2a cells using RNAiso plus reagent (TaKaRa, Japan) and cDNAs was prepared using AMV-RT as per manufacturer’s instructions. The qRT-PCR (BioRad CFX96 Touch RT-PCR) reaction was standardized to analyze the mRNA levels of selected cellular proteins using SYBR Green Premix Ex-Taq (TaKaRa, Japan). Thermal profile of the assay for selected neuronal genes is shown in supp. Table no. 1. Results were analyzed with the inbuilt CFX Maestro software. Absolute mRNA level quantification was done using the standard curve generated using HSC70 and Actin TA clones. The qPCR primers used in the current study are listed in the supp. Table no. 2.
Co-immunoprecipitation
The Neuro-2a cells grown in 6-well tissue culture plate (Nucleon Delta Surface, Thermo Scientific) were infected and mock infected with CHPV (1.0 MOI) for 6 h. After infection, cells were rinsed with PBS and lysed in IP lysis buffer (25 mM Tris [pH7.0], 150 mM NaCl, 1% Triton X-100) supplemented with protease inhibitors (100 mM EGTA, 100 mM Na-pyrophosphate, 100 mM Na-orthovandate, 100 mM Na-F) and protease inhibitor cocktail (Sigma). After centrifugation, the supernatant was pre-cleared by incubating it with Protein G beads (Thermofischer, USA). The pre-cleared lysate was immune-precipitated using HSC70 monoclonal antibodies (Cat. No. MA3-014, Invitrogen) coated on Protein G beads, for overnight. After extensive washing with IP lysis buffer and PBS, the resulting immune-precipitate was eluted in a 1X SDS sample loading buffer. The eluted proteins were separated on SDS-PAGE. Western blot analysis was performed using anti-CHPV N rabbit antibody and HSC70 mAb. HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse antibody and goat anti-rabbit antibody (Sigma, USA) was used to develop the signal. The signals were captured on photographic films.
Confocal microscopy study
Neuro-2a cells cultured on poly L-lysine treated glass coverslips in 24-well tissue culture plate (Nucleon Delta Surface, Thermo scientific, USA) were infected with CHPV (1.0 MOI) for 6 h. Post infection, cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA), permeabilized using 0.1% Triton X-100 and blocked with 3% BSA prepared in PBS (pH 7.4). The cells were further incubated with anti-CHPV N rabbit antibody (in house antibody) and HSC70 mAb (Invitrogen, USA) for 60 min at 37 °C. Subsequently, the cells were double-stained with Alexa Fluor 546-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody (Invitrogen, USA) and Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG antibody (Invitrogen, USA). The cell nuclei were counter stained with DAPI (4’, 6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride, Sigma). The cover-slips were mounted on microscope slides with Moiwal 4-88 (Sigma, USA) mounting medium and viewed under confocal microscope (Cell Insight CX7 High Content Screening platform, Thermofisher, USA). The pictures were captured and merged.
The same protocol was followed to study the co-localization of CHPV N protein with actin filaments using anti-CHPV N rabbit antibody and Alexa fluor 488 phalloidin antibodies (Invitrogen, USA).