Viral gene drive in herpesviruses
1Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, 94945, USA. mwalter@buckinstitute.org.
Nature Communications
|September 28, 2020
Summary
Scientists engineered a novel gene drive system capable of spreading traits through virus populations, specifically demonstrating its effectiveness in human cytomegalovirus. This breakthrough offers a new strategy for potentially suppressing viral infections by targeting essential viral replication sequences.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetic Engineering
Background:
- Gene drives are engineered genetic elements designed for high-frequency propagation within populations.
- Existing gene drive technologies are primarily limited to sexual organisms and rely on sexual reproduction.
- The potential application of gene drives in non-organismal systems, such as viruses, remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of a gene drive system in DNA viruses, specifically herpesviruses.
- To demonstrate the transmission and propagation of an engineered gene drive sequence within a viral population.
- To explore the potential of viral gene drives as a novel antiviral therapeutic strategy.
Main Methods:
- Development of a gene drive system designed for propagation in viral populations.
- Experimental transmission of the gene drive sequence between distinct strains of human cytomegalovirus (human herpesvirus 5).
- Cell culture experiments to assess the efficiency of gene drive viruses in targeting and replacing wildtype viral populations.
Main Results:
- Successful transmission of an engineered gene drive sequence between different strains of human cytomegalovirus.
- Demonstration that gene drive viruses can efficiently target and outcompete wildtype viral populations in vitro.
- Gene drive viruses targeting essential replication sequences showed potential for suppressing viral infection.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first proof of principle for a functional gene drive system in viruses.
- Viral gene drives represent a novel platform for genetic modification of viral populations.
- The findings suggest a potential new avenue for developing antiviral therapies by leveraging gene drive technology.
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