Vaccinia Virus Uses Macropinocytosis and Apoptotic Mimicry to Enter Host Cells

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1155164
• Publication Date: 2008-04-24T21:59:04Z
• Authors: Jason Mercer; Ari Helenius
• Keywords: Pinocytosis; Filopodia

Viruses employ many different strategies to enter host cells. Vaccinia virus, a prototype poxvirus, enters cells in pH-dependent fashion. Live cell imaging showed that fluorescent virus particles associated with and moved along filopodia the body, where they were internalized after inducing extrusion of large transient membrane blebs. p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) was activated by endocytic process had general characteristics macropinocytosis. The induction blebs, event, infection all critically dependent on presence exposed phosphatidylserine viral membrane, which suggests vaccinia uses apoptotic mimicry