Characterization of Orsay virus replication intermediates in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> reveals links to antiviral RNA interference

Orsay virus (OV) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus that naturally infects <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> intestines. Like other +ssRNA viruses, the OV-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (oRdRP) synthesizes complementary antigenome for use as template for amplifying viral genome, but OV replication intermediates are underexplored. Using PCR, we observed viral genome in vast excess of antigenome, as for other +ssRNA viruses. Unlike interferon-based antiviral defense, <i>C. elegans</i> utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) for antiviral defense, producing sense and antisense small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that cannot be distinguished from genome and antigenome with conventional hybridization protocols. Fluorescence-based imaging in <i>C. elegans</i> intestines using probes to antigenomic sequences revealed cytoplasmic as well as perinuclear localization patterns. The latter depended on factors required for generation of primary, but not secondary, siRNAs, connecting the antigenomic hybridization pattern to RNAi. We also observed cytoplasmic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) associated with oRdRP, suggesting viral replication hubs, as well as infection-induced nuclear dsRNA, likely from endogenous dsRNA. Finally, using antibodies to oRdRP, we observed spherical structures of ∼1µm in diameter with oRdRP at their surface, which decrease in animals lacking RDE-1. Our study defines features of OV replication intermediates, setting the stage for understanding their connection to host antiviral pathways.