Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
11:34
High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses
Published on: May 5, 2014
Antiviral immunity directed by small RNAs.
Shou-Wei Ding1, Olivier Voinnet
1Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA. shou-wei.ding@ucr.edu
Cell
|August 19, 2007
Summary
Plants and invertebrates use RNA silencing to fight viral infections by producing virus-derived small interfering RNAs (viRNAs). This natural defense mechanism is part of an ongoing molecular arms race with viruses, impacting genome evolution.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Immunology
Background:
- Plants and invertebrates possess RNA silencing mechanisms for antiviral defense.
- This process involves virus-derived small interfering RNAs (viRNAs) and effector complexes.
- Key proteins and downstream components of this pathway are known in various species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of RNA silencing as an antiviral immunity.
- To understand the ongoing co-evolutionary battle between viral suppression strategies and host defenses.
- To identify the genetic components involved in antiviral RNA silencing.
Main Methods:
- Identification of proteins involved in viRNA production.
- Characterization of downstream effector complexes in antiviral immunity.
- Investigation of viral strategies for suppressing small RNA-directed immunity.
Main Results:
- Virus-derived small interfering RNAs (viRNAs) are central to antiviral immunity.
- Specific effector complexes guide the silencing of viral RNA.
- Viral mechanisms to counteract this defense are being uncovered.
Conclusions:
- RNA silencing is a crucial antiviral defense in plants and invertebrates.
- The interplay between viral suppression and host immunity drives molecular evolution.
- Understanding this arms race provides insights into host-pathogen dynamics and genome evolution.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
01:23RNA Interference
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
01:23RNA Interference
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
01:29Viruses with RNA Genomes
RNA viruses are categorized into positive-strand, negative-strand, or double-stranded groups based on their genomic structure and replication mechanisms. This classification dictates how they exploit host cellular machinery for protein synthesis and replication. Some RNA viruses also utilize reverse transcription as part of their life cycle, further diversifying their replication strategies.Positive-Strand RNA VirusesPositive-strand RNA viruses have genomes that function directly as messenger...
01:30Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
01:29Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...