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Virus-induced transposable element expression up-regulation in human and mouse host cells
Marissa G Macchietto1, Ryan A Langlois2, Steven S Shen3,4
1Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Life Science Alliance
|January 23, 2020
Summary
Transposable elements in host cells commonly up-regulate during viral infections, even before viral replication. This early transposon expression is part of the initial host defense response to viruses.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Virology
- Genetics
Background:
- Virus infection triggers host cell defense mechanisms.
- The role of transposable elements in host response to viral stress is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular-level response of transposable elements during viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Reanalysis of next-generation sequencing data from numerous viral infection studies.
- Utilized data from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.
Main Results:
- Genome-wide transposon expression up-regulation was observed in host cells during viral infections.
- This up-regulation occurred near antiviral response genes across all studied viruses, species, and host cell types.
- Some transposons showed immediate up-regulation, preceding viral replication and interferon-beta increases.
Conclusions:
- Transposon up-regulation is a common phenomenon in virus-infected human and mouse cells.
- Early up-regulated transposable elements are integral to the initial wave of host antiviral defense.
