RIG-I-dependent antiviral immunity is effective against an RNA virus encoding a potent suppressor of RNAi

•RIG-I−/− MEFs are more susceptible to NoV infection than wildtype MEFs.•RIG-I is necessary for the expression of IFN-β and ISGs induced by NoV.•IFNβ pre-treatment rescues NoV resistance in RIG-I−/− MEFs.•IFNβ pre-treatment does not alter expression of key RNAi pathway genes.

Nodamura virus (NoV) lethally infects suckling mice and contains a segmented positive-strand RNA genome that encodes a potent suppressor of RNA interference (RNAi). Recent studies have demonstrated immune detection and subsequent processing of NoV dsRNA replicative intermediates by the mouse RNAi machinery. However, diverse RNA viruses, including Encephalomyocarditis virus that also triggers Dicer-dependent biogenesis of viral siRNAs in mouse cells, are targeted in mammals by RIG-I-like receptors that initiate an IFN-dependent antiviral response. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) for NoV infection, here we show that MEFs derived from mice knockout for RIG-I, but not those knockout for MDA5, LGP2, TLR3 or TLR7, exhibited an enhanced susceptibility to NoV. Further studies indicate that NoV infection induced an IFN-dependent antiviral response mediated by RIG-I. Our findings suggest that RIG-I directs a typical IFN-dependent antiviral response against an RNA virus capable of suppressing the RNAi response.