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Amplification, Next-generation Sequencing, and Genomic DNA Mapping of Retroviral Integration Sites
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Topological implications of DNA tumor viral episomes

Eui Tae Kim1, Kyoung-Dong Kim2

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jeju National University College of Medicine, Jeju 63241; Department of Biomedicine & Drug Development, Jeju National University, Jeju 63241, Korea.

BMB Reports
|November 15, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Persistent DNA tumor virus infections can lead to cancer by integrating viral DNA or forming episomes. This review explores how viral episomes attach to host chromosomes, influencing gene expression.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • DNA tumor viruses cause cancer by altering host cell genomes, either through integration or episome formation.
  • Viral episomes are extrachromosomal DNA elements that can persist within infected cells.
  • Efficient segregation of viral genomes during cell division relies on mechanisms that attach episomes to host chromatin.

Approach:

  • This review analyzes studies using 3D genomic tools to identify viral episome tethering sites on host chromosomes.
  • Focuses on specific DNA tumor viruses including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and Hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Key Points:

  • Viral episomes can interact with host epigenetic factors, potentially altering host gene expression.
  • Understanding episome attachment sites is crucial for comprehending viral oncogenesis.
  • Three-dimensional genomic techniques provide insights into the spatial organization of viral episomes within the host nucleus.

Conclusions:

  • Viral episome tethering to host chromosomes is a key mechanism for viral genome maintenance and segregation.
  • Further research into these interactions can reveal novel therapeutic targets for virus-associated cancers.

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