Screening of Host Proteins Interacting with the African Swine Fever Virus Outer Membrane Protein CD2v

Xiongnan Chen¹Gaoxi Zhu¹Yixian Li²Yihan Hao¹Yifan Liang¹Chen Hu¹Yingshuo Sun¹Yunzhao Peng¹Xi Li¹Zhao Huang¹Guihong Zhang¹Lang Gong¹Zezhong Zheng^1*

• ¹South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
• ²Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly pathogenic double-stranded DNA virus that poses a significant threat to the global swine industry. Although the CD2v protein encoded by ASFV is a key factor in viral immune evasion and pathogenicity, the mechanism underlying its interaction with host proteins remains unclear. Methods: The aim of this study was to identify a range of potential host proteins that interact with the CD2v protein using the membrane yeast twohybrid technology. Results: Through subsequent validation experiments and functional analyses, we discovered that these proteins are involved in critical cellular processes such as translational regulation, inflammatory responses, immune signaling, and iron metabolism. Furthermore, interaction network and functional enrichment analyses revealed that ASFV might influence host cell functions through multiple pathways to facilitate viral replication. Conclusion: This study provides new insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of ASFV and offers valuable clues for identifying antiviral targets.