Key result
The mimivirus genome encodes a viral mitochondrial carrier (VMC1) that transports dATP and dTTP, potentially allowing the virus to acquire deoxynucleotides from host mitochondria for replication.
The Mimivirus genome encodes a functional mitochondrial carrier (VMC1) that transports dATP and dTTP, suggesting the virus targets host mitochondria for deoxynucleotides during replication.
Hypothesis-generating for viral dNTP scavenging; leaves open whether VMC1 is a viable antiviral target.
Members of the mitochondrial carrier family have been reported in eukaryotes only, where they transport metabolites and cofactors across the mitochondrial inner membrane to link the metabolic pathways of the cytosol and the matrix. The genome of the giant virus Mimiviridae mimivirus encodes a member of the mitochondrial carrier family of transport proteins. This viral protein has been expressed in Lactococcus lactis and is shown to transport dATP and dTTP. As the 1.2-Mb double-stranded DNA mimivirus genome is rich in A and T residues, we speculate that the virus is using this protein to target the host mitochondria as a source of deoxynucleotides for its replication.
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Monné et al. (2007) studied Mimivirus. Viral mitochondrial carrier (VMC1) vs. Control strain with empty plasmid was evaluated on Uptake rate of [3H]dATP. The mimivirus genome encodes a viral mitochondrial carrier (VMC1) that transports dATP and dTTP, potentially allowing the virus to acquire deoxynucleotides from host mitochondria for replication.
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