A CRISPR screen defines a signal peptide processing pathway required by flaviviruses

Flaviviruses infect hundreds of millions of people annually, with no antiviral therapy available(1,2). We performed a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9-based screen to identify host genes that when edited resulted in reduced flavivirus infection. We validated nine human genes required for flavivirus infectivity, and these were associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) functions including translocation, protein degradation, and N-linked glycosylation. In particular, a subset of ER-associated signal peptidase complex (SPCS) proteins was necessary for the proper cleavage of the flavivirus structural proteins (prM and E) and secretion of viral particles. Loss of SPCS1 expression resulted in markedly reduced yield of all Flaviviridae family members tested (West Nile, Dengue, Zika, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and hepatitis C viruses), yet had little impact on alphavirus, bunyavirus, or rhabdovirus infection or the surface expression or secretion of diverse host proteins. We found that SPCS1 dependence could be bypassed by replacing the native prM protein leader sequences with a class I MHC antigen leader sequence. Thus, SPCS1, either directly or indirectly via its interactions with unknown host proteins, preferentially promotes the processing of specific protein cargo, and Flaviviridae have a unique dependence on this signal peptide processing pathway. SPCS1 and other signal processing pathway members could represent pharmacological targets for inhibiting infection of the expanding number of flaviviruses of medical concern.