Abstract
Picornaviruses are associated with acute and chronic diseases. The clinical manifestations of infections are often mild, but infections may also lead to respiratory symptoms, gastroenteritis, myocarditis, meningitis, hepatitis, and poliomyelitis, with serious impacts on human health and economic losses in animal husbandry. Thus far, research on picornaviruses has mainly focused on structural proteins such as VP1, whereas the non-structural protein 2B, which plays vital roles in the life cycle of the viruses and exhibits a viroporin or viroporin-like activity, has been overlooked. Viroporins are viral proteins containing at least one amphipathic α-helical structure, which oligomerizes to form transmembrane hydrophilic pores. In this review, we mainly summarize recent research data on the viroporin or viroporin-like activity of 2B proteins, which affects the biological function of the membrane, regulates cell death, and affects the host immune response. Considering these mechanisms, the potential application of the 2B protein as a candidate target for antiviral drug development is discussed, along with research challenges and prospects toward realizing a novel treatment strategy for picornavirus infections.
Highlights
The Picornaviridae family consists of 35 genera and 80 species, mainly including Enterovirus, Hepatovirus, Cardiovirus, Aphthovirus, and Rhinovirus [1]
Research on picornaviruses has mainly focused on enterovirus (EV) 71, coxsackievirus (CV), poliovirus (PV), encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), human rhinovirus (HRV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV)
The 2B protein belongs to the type II family of viroporins, including two transmembrane hydrophobic helices which are the basis for forming a transmembrane pore that results in the changes in cell membrane permeability
Summary
The Picornaviridae family consists of 35 genera and 80 species, mainly including Enterovirus, Hepatovirus, Cardiovirus, Aphthovirus, and Rhinovirus [1]. Research on picornaviruses has mainly focused on enterovirus (EV) 71, coxsackievirus (CV), poliovirus (PV), encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), human rhinovirus (HRV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV). Picornaviruses are non-enveloped spherical viruses with an icosahedral-structured viral capsid. 6.7–10.1 kilobases in length, with a highly conserved structure, including a 50 -noncoding region (5’-NCR), an open reading frame, a 30 -NCR, and a 30 -end polyA tail [1]. The 2B protein is a crucial component of picornaviruses that exhibits viroporin or viroporin-like activity, plays a key role in the picornavirus life cycle by inducing a series of cytotoxic reactions to promote picornaviral replication and release [6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14]. Here, we review the recent research data on the role of the 2B protein in the picornaviral life cycle and discuss its possible application in antiviral therapy
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
