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Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors
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WHAT do viruses BET on?

Magdalena Weidner-Glunde1, Matthias Ottinger, Thomas F Schulz

  • 1Hannover Medical School, Institute of Virology, Hannover, Germany. weidner-glunde.magdalena@MHHannover.de

Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark Edition)
|December 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Bromodomain and ET domain (BET) proteins, like Brd2 and Brd4, bind acetylated histones and regulate transcription. Viruses exploit these BET proteins for their own replication and transcriptional needs.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Bromodomain and ET domain (BET) proteins are epigenetic regulators that bind acetylated histones.
  • Key BET proteins, Brd2 and Brd4, play crucial roles in transcriptional regulation.
  • Viral pathogens frequently interact with host BET proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between BET proteins and viral proteins.
  • To understand how viruses exploit BET proteins for their life cycles.
  • To explore virus-specific adaptations of BET protein functions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of BET protein interactions with viral proteins.
  • Studying the role of BET proteins in viral transcription.
  • Investigating viral protein adaptations of BET functions.

Main Results:

  • Brd2 and Brd4 bind to proteins from herpesviruses and papillomaviruses.
  • Viruses utilize BET proteins for their transcriptional processes.
  • Some viral proteins have evolved to specifically adapt BET proteins for new functions.
  • Retroviruses can mimic Brd4 functions to hijack associated protein complexes.

Conclusions:

  • BET proteins are critical targets for viral manipulation.
  • Viruses have evolved diverse strategies to exploit BET proteins.
  • Understanding these interactions is key to developing antiviral therapies.

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