Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
09:14
Isolation and Quantification of Epstein-Barr Virus from the P3HR1 Cell Line
Published on: September 28, 2022
4.1K
G-quadruplexes regulate Epstein-Barr virus-encoded nuclear antigen 1 mRNA translation
Pierre Murat1, Jie Zhong2, Lea Lekieffre2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Nature Chemical Biology
|March 18, 2014
Summary
Viruses use G-quadruplexes in their mRNA to control protein levels, evading immune detection during latent infections. Targeting these RNA structures offers new therapeutic strategies for viral diseases.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Latent viruses evade immune detection by maintaining low viral protein levels.
- Mechanisms regulating viral latency and immune evasion are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the regulatory mechanisms controlling viral protein synthesis during latency.
- To identify novel targets for antiviral therapies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mRNA structures in gammaherpesviruses.
- Studying Epstein-Barr virus-encoded nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) mRNA.
- Using antisense oligonucleotides and G-quadruplex-stabilizing agents (e.g., pyridostatin).
Main Results:
- Identified G-quadruplex structures within the open reading frames of viral mRNAs.
- Demonstrated that G-quadruplexes regulate translation of viral maintenance proteins.
- Destabilizing G-quadruplexes increased EBNA1 mRNA translation, while stabilizing them decreased EBNA1 synthesis.
Conclusions:
- G-quadruplexes are key cis-acting elements regulating viral mRNA translation and immune evasion.
- Targeting RNA structures within viral open reading frames presents a novel therapeutic approach.
Related Concept Videos
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
02:33Initiation of Translation
24.7K
Initiating translation is complex because it involves multiple molecules. Initiator tRNA, ribosomal subunits, and eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) are all required to assemble on the initiation codon of mRNA. This process consists of several steps that are mediated by different eIFs.
First, the initiator tRNA must be selected from the pool of elongator tRNAs by eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2). The initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAi) has conserved sequence elements including modified bases at...
First, the initiator tRNA must be selected from the pool of elongator tRNAs by eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2). The initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAi) has conserved sequence elements including modified bases at...
24.7K
01:45Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting
2.5K
Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
2.5K
01:29Translational Regulation
877
Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...
877
02:31Nuclear Export of mRNA
7.1K
Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...
7.1K
02:31Nuclear Export of mRNA
4.7K
4.7K