Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
09:38
Identification of Nucleolar Factors During HIV-1 Replication Through Rev Immunoprecipitation and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 26, 2019
7.2K
A role for H/ACA and C/D small nucleolar RNAs in viral replication
James L Murray1, Jinsong Sheng, Donald H Rubin
1Zirus, Inc., 1384 Buford Business Boulevard, Suite 700, Buford, GA, 30518, USA, jmurray100@yahoo.com.
Molecular Biotechnology
|January 31, 2014
Summary
Gene-trap mutagenesis identified over 1,000 host genes conferring virus resistance. Small nucleolar RNAs (SNORAs and SNORDs) were found to play a significant role in cellular defense against multiple viral infections.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Identifying host factors that restrict viral infections is crucial for understanding virus-host interactions.
- Gene-trap insertional mutagenesis is a powerful tool for discovering novel genes involved in cellular processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify host genes conferring resistance to lytic viral infection using a large-scale mutagenesis screen.
- To investigate the role of small nucleolar RNAs (SNORAs and SNORDs) in antiviral defense.
Main Methods:
- Employed gene-trap insertional mutagenesis across 12 viruses and multiple cell lines to generate virus-resistant clones.
- Analyzed over 2,000 resistant clones to identify disrupted candidate host genes.
- Utilized small interfering RNA (siRNA) to validate the function of candidate SNORAs and SNORDs against specific viruses.
Main Results:
- Identified over 1,000 candidate host genes conferring resistance to viral infection.
- Discovered that 83 identified genes encoded small nucleolar RNAs (SNORAs and SNORDs), with most residing within introns of protein-coding genes.
- siRNA validation confirmed that eight out of nine targeted SNORAs/SNORDs enhanced cellular resistance to multiple viruses, including cowpox, Dengue, influenza, rhinovirus, herpes simplex, and respiratory syncytial virus.
Conclusions:
- Small nucleolar RNAs (SNORAs and SNORDs) are significantly involved in cellular antiviral responses and host-virus interactions.
- Disruption of SNORA/D genes can confer broad-spectrum resistance to various viral infections.
- These findings highlight SNORAs and SNORDs as potential therapeutic targets for antiviral strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Viruses with RNA Genomes
1.5K
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...
1.5K
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
43.0K
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...
43.0K
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
13.4K
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...
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...
13.4K
02:28Leaky Scanning
4.5K
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
4.5K
01:26Size and Structure of Viral Genomes
1.2K
Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
1.2K
01:30Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
58
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...
58