Stochastic gene expression as a molecular switch for viral latency
Abhyudai Singh1, Leor S Weinberger
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0314, USA.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|July 15, 2009
Summary
Cellular noise, or random fluctuations, influences genetic switches and cell fate. Manipulating this noise in gene expression may offer new antiviral therapies for viruses like HIV-1.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Virology
Background:
- Stochastic noise, arising from random molecular fluctuations, is inherent to cellular processes.
- Biochemical noise influences cellular auto-regulatory circuits and drives probabilistic cell fate decisions.
- This noise plays a critical role in processes across bacteria, viruses, cancer, and stem cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of stochastic gene expression in auto-regulatory proteins controlling cell fate.
- To examine how noise influences the latency and replication cycles of phage-lambda and HIV-1.
- To highlight synthetic approaches for manipulating noise to bias HIV-1 proviral latency.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of stochastic gene expression and auto-regulatory circuits.
- Analysis of studies on synthetic manipulation of gene expression noise.
- Examination of viral latency mechanisms in phage-lambda and HIV-1.
Main Results:
- Stochastic gene expression in auto-regulatory proteins is a key determinant of cell fate, including viral latency.
- Synthetic manipulation of auto-regulatory circuitry can bias HIV-1 towards proviral latency.
- Understanding noise offers insights into animal virus latency.
Conclusions:
- Noise in gene expression is a critical factor in viral latency and replication.
- Strategies targeting noise manipulation hold potential for novel antiviral therapeutics.
- Further research into noise may unlock new treatments for viral infections.
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