Role of RNA-binding protein PTBP1 in viral RNA nucleocytoplasmic transport and in HSV-1 infection

Here we show that HSV-1 infection promoted PTBP1 nucleocytoplasmic translocation. PTBP1, an RNA binding protein, interacted with both cellular and viral RNA. Suppression of PTBP1 expression blocked HSV-1 lytic infection. Furthermore, we observed that acute PTBP1 suppression during HSV-1 lytic infection promoted HSV-1 latency that occurred with cell type conversion from fibroblast cells to neuronal-like cells. This demonstrates that a cellular factor PTBP1 plays an essential role in viral RNA nuclear export and in HSV-1 lytic infection. Additionally, a cell type conversion based on PTBP1 suppression may provide a basic model for delineation of host and viral factors governing HSV-1 lytic and latent infection within the same cell lineage of transcription regulation.