ITGB1b-Deficient Rare Minnows Delay Grass Carp Reovirus (GCRV) Entry and Attenuate GCRV-Triggered Apoptosis

Integrin β-1 (ITGB1) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the integrin family and it plays an important role in viral entry. In this study, the itgb1b gene of the rare minnow, Gobiocypris rarus, was cloned and analyzed. To investigate the possible role of itgb1b on grass carp reovirus (GCRV) infection, we generated an ITGB1b-deficient rare minnow (ITGB1b(−/−)) using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Following stimulation with GCRV, the survival time of the -ITGB1b(−/−) rare minnows was extended in comparison to the wild-type minnows. Moreover, the relative copy number of GCRV and the level of clathrin-mediated endocytosis-associated and apoptosis-related gene expression in the ITGB1b(−/−) rare minnows was significantly lower than that of the wild-type minnows. These results suggested that the absence of itgb1b reduced viral entry efficiency and the expression of apoptosis-related genes. Moreover, the data suggested that itgb1b played an important role in mediating the entry of viruses into the cells via clathrin. Therefore, these findings provide novel insight into the function of itgb1b in the process of GCRV infection.