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Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV
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Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV

Published on: March 5, 2022

3.8K

Viral Epitranscriptomics

Edward M Kennedy1, David G Courtney1, Kevin Tsai1

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Center for Virology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Journal of Virology
|March 3, 2017
PubMed

Insights

The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in RNA, crucial for cellular processes, is now shown to enhance HIV-1 replication. This finding opens the door to understanding viral epitranscriptomics and its role in virus regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Eukaryotic mRNAs undergo internal base modifications, with N6-methyladenosine (m6A) being the most common.
  • m6A modifications are known to influence splicing, translation, and mRNA stability, and are vital for embryonic development.
  • While viral transcripts are extensively m6A modified, its role in viral gene expression and replication remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of m6A modifications in regulating viral gene expression and replication.
  • To explore the potential significance of m6A in viral epitranscriptomics using HIV-1 as a model.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of m6A modification sites in viral transcripts.
  • Functional studies using HIV-1 to assess the impact of m6A on replication.

Main Results:

  • m6A modification sites in HIV-1 transcripts are evolutionarily conserved.
  • m6A modifications were found to enhance HIV-1 replication.

Conclusions:

  • m6A plays a significant role in regulating viral replication.
  • The field of viral epitranscriptomics is poised for expansion, potentially transforming our understanding of viral regulation.
Keywords:
HIV-1N6-methyladenosinePosttranscriptional gene regulationRNA modificationmRNA functionmRNA stability

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