The ER‐Resident Protein PDZD8 Inhibits Virus Production of West Nile Virus

West Nile virus (WNV) remodels the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane in cells to aid virus production. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. PDZD8 is an ER-resident protein that mediates ER-mitochondria contact and lipid transfer, both of which are associated with membrane remodeling. In this study, we found that WNV infection suppressed the expression of PDZD8, leading to a reduction in ER-mitochondria contact sites. By contrast, PDZD8 suppressed WNV production by inhibiting the processes of viral particle assembly and release. These findings suggest that WNV suppresses PDZD8 expression to partially counteract its inhibitory effect on WNV production.