Essential function of the integrator complex in Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic replication

The integrator complex (INT) is an essential regulator of RNA biogenesis across evolution. Most current findings describe INT's function in states of equilibrium, presenting a research gap in INT's role in dynamic states, such as in infections and cancers. Viruses hijack cellular RNA machinery to transcribe their genes and produce viral progeny, presenting a unique condition to investigate INT-dependent RNA regulation under perturbation. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic DNA virus that causes two deadly cancers, Kaposi's sarcoma and primary effusion lymphoma. KSHV undergoes a highly regulated and robust transcription of viral genes upon lytic reactivation, providing a complex and dynamic system to investigate integrator-mediated viral/host RNA regulation. We find that integrator subunit 11 (INTS11), the enzymatic core of INT, is essential for KSHV lytic replication triggered by reactivation or primary infection. Further RNA-seq analyses revealed a dynamic and unique signature of human transcriptomes during each lytic stage, respectively. Although the knockdown of INTS11 resulted in selective upregulation and downregulation of certain human gene transcription, INTS11's loss globally repressed the KSHV transcriptome throughout KSHV lytic replication. This inhibited viral lytic gene expression, viral genome replication, and virion production. Integrator subunits 9 and 6 are also important for KSHV lytic replication. Mechanistically, ChIP-seq analysis showed that INTS11 is increasingly recruited to the KSHV genome with some unique binding patterns as the lytic cycle progresses, suggesting that KSHV hijacks INTS11 during lytic gene transcriptions. In all, our findings reveal the essential roles of the Integrator complex in KSHV lytic replication.IMPORTANCEThe integrator complex (INT) is essential for RNA metabolism and is fundamental to all organisms, but its function and regulation during viral infection are not well described. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection establishes lifelong infection and causes two deadly cancers; however, no vaccine is available. Using KSHV as a model, we found that integrator subunit 11 (INTS11), the enzymatic core of INT, is recruited to the KSHV genome under lytic phases and plays an essential role in facilitating global KSHV lytic mRNA transcription and viral production. This reveals the critical role of INT in viral infection, a common and inevitable event in human life.