Identification of the interaction between vimentin and nucleocapsid protein of transmissible gastroenteritis virus

•N protein of TGEV interacted with vimentin was firstly identified in this study.•Vimentin was required for TGEV replication in host cell.•The function of vimentin cytoskeleton in ST cells during TGEV infection was examined.

Nucleocapsid (N) protein of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) packages viral RNA genome to form a ribonucleoprotein complex. In addition to its function as a structural protein, N protein is involved in cell apoptosis or cell-cycle regulation. N protein possibly interacts with host factors to modulate cellular functions. To identify cellular proteins that interacted with N protein of TGEV, methods of GST pull-down and Co-IP were utilized to precipitate cellular proteins of swine testicular (ST). Bound cellular proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE. Analysis of interacting proteins by mass spectrometry allowed identification of 15 cellular protein bands representative of 12 cellular proteins including vimentin that bound to N protein. Furthermore, the function of vimentin cytoskeleton in ST cells during TGEV infection was examined. Vimentin cytoskeleton was required for virus replication. The present study thus provides protein-related information about interaction of TGEV N protein with host cell that should be useful for understanding host cell response to coronavirus pathogenesis infection and the underlying mechanism of coronavirus replication.