ABSTRACT: As a virus-encoded actin nucleation promoting factor (NPF), P78/83 induces actin polymerization to assist in Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) propagation. According to our previous study, although P78/83 actively undergoes ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation, AcMNPV encodes budded virus/occlusion derived virus (BV/ODV)-C42 (C42), which allows P78/83 to function as a stable NPF by inhibiting its degradation during viral infection. However, whether there are other viral proteins involved in regulating P78/83-induced actin polymerization has yet to be determined. In this study, we found that Ac102, an essential viral gene product previously reported to play a key role in mediating the nuclear accumulation of actin during AcMNPV infection, is a novel regulator of P78/83-induced actin polymerization. By characterizing an ac102 knockout bacmid, we demonstrated that Ac102 participates in regulating nuclear actin polymerization as well as the morphogenesis and distribution of capsid structures in the nucleus. These regulatory effects are heavily dependent on an interaction between Ac102 and C42. Further investigation revealed that Ac102 binds to C42 to suppress K48-linked ubiquitination of C42, which decreases C42 proteasomal degradation and consequently allows P78/83 to function as a stable NPF to induce actin polymerization. Thus, Ac102 and C42 form a regulatory cascade to control viral NPF activity, representing a sophisticated mechanism for AcMNPV to orchestrate actin polymerization in both a ubiquitin-dependent and ubiquitin-independent manner.IMPORTANCE Actin is one of the most functionally important proteins in eukaryotic cells. Morphologically, actin can be found in two forms: a monomeric form called globular actin (G-actin) and a polymeric form called filamentous actin (F-actin). G-actin can polymerize to form F-actin, and nucleation promoting factor (NPF) is the initiator of this process. Many viral pathogens harness the host actin polymerization machinery to assist in virus propagation. Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) induces actin polymerization in host cells. P78/83, a viral NPF, is responsible for this process. Previously, we identified that BV/ODV-C42 (C42) binds to P78/83 and protects it from degradation. In this report, we determined that another viral protein, Ac102, is involved in modulating C42 ubiquitination and, consequently, ensures P78/83 activity as an NPF to initiate actin polymerization. This regulatory cascade represents a novel mechanism by which a virus can harness the cellular actin cytoskeleton to assist in viral propagation.
