The herpesvirus accessory protein γ₁34.5 facilitates viral replication by disabling mitochondrial translocation of RIG-I

RIG-I and MDA5 are cytoplasmic RNA sensors that mediate cell intrinsic immunity against viral pathogens. While it has been well-established that RIG-I and MDA5 recognize RNA viruses, their interactive network with DNA viruses, including herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), remains less clear. Using a combination of RNA-deep sequencing and genetic studies, we show that the γ₁34.5 gene product, a virus-encoded virulence factor, enables HSV growth by neutralization of RIG-I dependent restriction. When expressed in mammalian cells, HSV-1 γ₁34.5 targets RIG-I, which cripples cytosolic RNA sensing and subsequently suppresses antiviral gene expression. Rather than inhibition of RIG-I K63-linked ubiquitination, the γ₁34.5 protein precludes the assembly of RIG-I and cellular chaperone 14-3-3ε into an active complex for mitochondrial translocation. The γ₁34.5-mediated inhibition of RIG-I-14-3-3ε binding abrogates the access of RIG-I to mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS) and activation of interferon regulatory factor 3. As such, unlike wild type virus HSV-1, a recombinant HSV-1 in which γ₁34.5 is deleted elicits efficient cytokine induction and replicates poorly, while genetic ablation of RIG-I expression, but not of MDA5 expression, rescues viral growth. Collectively, these findings suggest that viral suppression of cytosolic RNA sensing is a key determinant in the evolutionary arms race of a large DNA virus and its host.