Retroviruses integrate into the genomes of infected host cells to form proviruses, a genetic platform for stable viral gene expression. Epigenetic silencing can, however, hamper proviral transcriptional activity. As gammaretroviruses (γRVs) preferentially integrate into active promoter and enhancer sites, the high transcriptional activity of γRVs can be attributed to this integration preference. In addition, long terminal repeats (LTRs) of some γRVs were shown to act as potent promoters by themselves. Here, we investigate the capacity of different γRV LTRs to drive stable expression within a non-preferred epigenomic environment in the context of diverse retroviral vectors. We demonstrate that different γRV LTRs are either rapidly silenced or remain active for long periods of time with a predominantly active proviral population under normal and retargeted integration. As an alternative to the established γRV systems, the feline leukemia virus and koala retrovirus LTRs are able to drive stable, albeit intensity-diverse, transgene expression. Overall, we show that despite the occurrence of rapid silencing events, most γRV LTRs can drive stable expression outside of their preferred chromatin landscape after retrovirus integrations.

• Klíčová slova
• epigenetics, expression, integration site, retrovirus, silencing, vectors,
• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• Gammaretrovirus * genetika   MeSH
• genetické vektory genetika   MeSH
• integrace viru * MeSH
• koncové repetice * genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• promotorové oblasti (genetika) MeSH
• proviry * genetika   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů MeSH
• transgeny MeSH
• umlčování genů MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

The nuclear lamina is the main component of the nuclear cytoskeleton that maintains the integrity of the nucleus. However, it represents a natural barrier for viruses replicating in the cell nucleus. The lamina blocks viruses from being trafficked to the nucleus for replication, but it also impedes the nuclear egress of the progeny of viral particles. Thus, viruses have evolved mechanisms to overcome this obstacle. Large viruses induce the assembly of multiprotein complexes that are anchored to the inner nuclear membrane. Important components of these complexes are the viral and cellular kinases phosphorylating the lamina and promoting its disaggregation, therefore allowing virus egress. Small viruses also use cellular kinases to induce lamina phosphorylation and the subsequent disruption in order to facilitate the import of viral particles during the early stages of infection or during their nuclear egress. Another component of the nuclear cytoskeleton, nuclear actin, is exploited by viruses for the intranuclear movement of their particles from the replication sites to the nuclear periphery. This study focuses on exploitation of the nuclear cytoskeleton by viruses, although this is just the beginning for many viruses, and promises to reveal the mechanisms and dynamic of physiological and pathological processes in the nucleus.

• Klíčová slova
• adenovirus, baculovirus, circovirus, herpesvirus, lamin, nuclear actin, nuclear cytoskeleton, papillomavirus, parvovirus, polyomavirus,
• MeSH
• aktiny metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčné jádro metabolismus   MeSH
• cytoskelet genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu * MeSH
• jaderná lamina metabolismus   MeSH
• jaderný obal metabolismus   MeSH
• laminy metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• náchylnost k nemoci * MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů MeSH
• replikace viru MeSH
• virové nemoci etiologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aktiny MeSH
• laminy MeSH

Vaccinia virus (VACV) is an enveloped DNA virus from the Orthopoxvirus family, various strains of which were used in the successful eradication campaign against smallpox. Both original and newer VACV-based replicating vaccines reveal a risk of serious complications in atopic individuals. VACV encodes various factors interfering with host immune responses at multiple levels. In atopic skin, the production of type I interferon is compromised, while VACV specifically inhibits the phosphorylation of the Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 (IRF-3) and expression of interferons. To overcome this block, we generated a recombinant VACV-expressing murine IRF-3 (WR-IRF3) and characterized its effects on virus growth, cytokine expression and apoptosis in tissue cultures and in spontaneously atopic Nc/Nga and control Balb/c mice. Further, we explored the induction of protective immune responses against a lethal dose of wild-type WR, the surrogate of smallpox. We demonstrate that the overexpression of IRF-3 by WR-IRF3 increases the expression of type I interferon, modulates the expression of several cytokines and induces superior protective immune responses against a lethal poxvirus challenge in both Nc/Nga and Balb/c mice. Additionally, the results may be informative for design of other virus-based vaccines or for therapy of different viral infections.

• Klíčová slova
• IRF-3, Nc/Nga mice, atopic dermatitis, cytokines, eczema vaccinatum, immunization, interferon beta, interleukin-1 beta, smallpox, vaccinia virus,
• MeSH
• exprese genu genetika   MeSH
• imunita imunologie   MeSH
• infekce vyvolané poxviry imunologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• interferon typ I metabolismus   MeSH
• interferonový regulační faktor 3 genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• interleukin-1beta imunologie   MeSH
• kůže imunologie   MeSH
• myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
• myši MeSH
• Poxviridae patogenita   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů genetika   MeSH
• replikace viru imunologie   MeSH
• vakcínie virologie   MeSH
• virové vakcíny imunologie   MeSH
• virus vakcinie genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• interferon typ I MeSH
• interferonový regulační faktor 3 MeSH
• interleukin-1beta MeSH
• virové vakcíny MeSH

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the general need to better understand viral infections. The positive single-strand RNA genome of its causative agent, the SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), encodes all viral enzymes. In this work, we focused on one particular methyltransferase (MTase), nsp16, which, in complex with nsp10, is capable of methylating the first nucleotide of a capped RNA strand at the 2'-O position. This process is part of a viral capping system and is crucial for viral evasion of the innate immune reaction. In light of recently discovered non-canonical RNA caps, we tested various dinucleoside polyphosphate-capped RNAs as substrates for nsp10-nsp16 MTase. We developed an LC-MS-based method and discovered four types of capped RNA (m7Gp3A(G)- and Gp3A(G)-RNA) that are substrates of the nsp10-nsp16 MTase. Our technique is an alternative to the classical isotope labelling approach for the measurement of 2'-O-MTase activity. Further, we determined the IC50 value of sinefungin to illustrate the use of our approach for inhibitor screening. In the future, this approach may be an alternative technique to the radioactive labelling method for screening inhibitors of any type of 2'-O-MTase.

• Klíčová slova
• SARS-CoV-2, inhibitor, methylation, virus,
• MeSH
• chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
• COVID-19 virologie   MeSH
• hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• methyltransferasy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• metylace MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů MeSH
• RNA čepičky MeSH
• RNA virová genetika   MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 enzymologie   genetika   MeSH
• substrátová specifita MeSH
• virové nestrukturální proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• virové regulační a přídatné proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• methyltransferasy MeSH
• NSP10 protein, SARS-CoV-2 MeSH Prohlížeč
• NSP16 protein, SARS-CoV-2 MeSH Prohlížeč
• RNA čepičky MeSH
• RNA virová MeSH
• virové nestrukturální proteiny MeSH
• virové regulační a přídatné proteiny MeSH

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immediate early transactivator Zta plays a key role in regulating the transition from latency to the lytic replication stages of EBV infection. Regulation of Zta is known to be controlled through a number of transcriptional and posttranscriptional events. Here, we show that Zta is targeted for ubiquitin modification and that this can occur in EBV-negative and in EBV-infected cells. Genetic studies show critical roles for both an amino-terminal region of Zta and the basic DNA binding domain of Zta in regulating Zta ubiquitination. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrate that the bulk population of Zta is relatively stable but that at least a subset of ubiquitinated Zta molecules are targeted for degradation in the cell. Mutation of four out of a total of nine lysine residues in Zta largely abrogates its ubiquitination, indicating that these are primary ubiquitination target sites. A Zta mutant carrying mutations at these four lysine residues (lysine 12, lysine 188, lysine 207, and lysine 219) cannot induce latently infected cells to produce and/or release infectious virions. Nevertheless, this mutant can induce early gene expression, suggesting a possible defect at the level of viral replication or later in the lytic cascade. As far as we know, this is the first study that has investigated the targeting of Zta by ubiquitination or its role in Zta function.IMPORTANCE Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human pathogen and associated with various human diseases. EBV undergoes latency and lytic replication stages in its life cycle. The transition into the lytic replication stage, at which virus is produced, is mainly regulated by the viral gene product, Zta. Therefore, the regulation of Zta function becomes a central issue regarding viral biology and pathogenesis. Known modifications of Zta include phosphorylation and sumoylation. Here, we report the role of ubiquitination in regulating Zta function. We found that Zta is subjected to ubiquitination in both EBV-infected and EBV-negative cells. The ubiquitin modification targets 4 lysine residues on Zta, leading to both mono- and polyubiquitination of Zta. Ubiquitination of Zta affects the protein's stability and likely contributes to the progression of viral lytic replication. The function and fate of Zta may be determined by the specific lysine residue being modified.

• Klíčová slova
• Epstein-Barr virus, Zta, lytic replication, reactivation, ubiquitination,
• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• infekce virem Epsteina-Barrové virologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• promotorové oblasti (genetika) MeSH
• proteinové domény MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů MeSH
• replikace viru MeSH
• trans-aktivátory genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• ubikvitin metabolismus   MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• virové proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• virus Epsteinův-Barrové genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Názvy látek
• BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human MeSH Prohlížeč
• trans-aktivátory MeSH
• ubikvitin MeSH
• virové proteiny MeSH

HIV-1 persists lifelong in memory cells of the immune system as latent provirus that rebounds upon treatment interruption. Therefore, the latent reservoir is the main target for an HIV cure. Here, we studied the direct link between integration site and transcription using LEDGINs and Barcoded HIV-ensembles (B-HIVE). LEDGINs are antivirals that inhibit the interaction between HIV-1 integrase and the chromatin-tethering factor LEDGF/p75. They were used as a tool to retarget integration, while the effect on HIV expression was measured with B-HIVE. B-HIVE tracks insert-specific HIV expression by tagging a unique barcode in the HIV genome. We confirmed that LEDGINs retarget integration out of gene-dense and actively transcribed regions. The distance to H3K36me3, the marker recognized by LEDGF/p75, clearly increased. LEDGIN treatment reduced viral RNA expression and increased the proportion of silent provirus. Finally, silent proviruses obtained after LEDGIN treatment were located further away from epigenetic marks associated with active transcription. Interestingly, proximity to enhancers stimulated transcription irrespective of LEDGIN treatment, while the distance to H3K36me3 only changed after treatment with LEDGINs. The fact that proximity to these markers are associated with RNA expression support the direct link between provirus integration site and viral expression.

• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• chromatin metabolismus   MeSH
• histony metabolismus   MeSH
• HIV-1 účinky léků   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• inhibitory HIV-integrasy farmakologie   MeSH
• integrace viru * účinky léků   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mezibuněčné signální peptidy a proteiny MeSH
• proviry genetika   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů * účinky léků   MeSH
• RNA virová metabolismus   MeSH
• umlčování genů * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chromatin MeSH
• histony MeSH
• inhibitory HIV-integrasy MeSH
• lens epithelium-derived growth factor MeSH Prohlížeč
• mezibuněčné signální peptidy a proteiny MeSH
• RNA virová MeSH

The HIV-1 protein Rev is essential for virus replication and ensures the expression of partially spliced and unspliced transcripts. We identified a ULM (UHM ligand motif) motif in the Arginine-Rich Motif (ARM) of the Rev protein. ULMs (UHM ligand motif) mediate protein interactions during spliceosome assembly by binding to UHM (U2AF homology motifs) domains. Using NMR, biophysical methods and crystallography we show that the Rev ULM binds to the UHMs of U2AF65 and SPF45. The highly conserved Trp45 in the Rev ULM is crucial for UHM binding in vitro, for Rev co-precipitation with U2AF65 in human cells and for proper processing of HIV transcripts. Thus, Rev-ULM interactions with UHM splicing factors contribute to the regulation of HIV-1 transcript processing, also at the splicing level. The Rev ULM is an example of viral mimicry of host short linear motifs that enables the virus to interfere with the host molecular machinery.

• MeSH
• alternativní sestřih genetika   MeSH
• aminokyselinové motivy genetika   MeSH
• arginin genetika   MeSH
• genové produkty rev - virus lidské imunodeficience genetika   MeSH
• HIV infekce genetika   virologie   MeSH
• HIV-1 genetika   patogenita   MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů genetika   MeSH
• replikace viru genetika   MeSH
• sestřihové faktory genetika   MeSH
• sestřihový faktor U2AF genetika   MeSH
• spliceozomy genetika   MeSH
• vazba proteinů genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• arginin MeSH
• genové produkty rev - virus lidské imunodeficience MeSH
• RBM17 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• rev protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 MeSH Prohlížeč
• sestřihové faktory MeSH
• sestřihový faktor U2AF MeSH
• U2AF2 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč

Heliothis zea nudivirus-1 (HzNV-1) is an insect virus that can induce both lytic and latent infections in various insect cell lines. During latent infection, several microRNAs (miRNAs) are produced from persistency-associated gene 1 (pag1) as the only detectable HzNV-1 transcript. Previous studies have shown that the pag1 gene suppresses the immediate-early gene hhi1 and promotes host switching into a latent infection via miRNAs derived from pag1. Although other functions of the miRNAs derived from pag1 have not yet been elucidated, several studies have suggested that miRNAs encoded from latency-associated genes can regulate histone-associated enzymes. Because pag1 is a noncoding transcript, it potentially regulates host chromatin structure through miRNAs upon infection. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism by which pag1 alters viral infections remains unknown. In this study, we found that the pag1-encoded miRNA miR-420 suppresses expression of the histone modification-associated enzyme su(var)3-9. Therefore, this miRNA causes histone modification to promote HzNV-1 infection. These results suggest that HzNV-1 may directly influence epigenetic regulation in host cells through interactions with pag1 miRNAs to promote lytic infection. This study provides us with a better understanding of both the HzNV-1 infection pathway and the relationship between viral miRNAs and epigenetic regulation.

• MeSH
• epigeneze genetická * MeSH
• histony metabolismus   MeSH
• hmyzí proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• metylace MeSH
• mikro RNA biosyntéza   MeSH
• nukleopolyhedroviry fyziologie   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů * MeSH
• RNA virová biosyntéza   MeSH
• Sf9 buňky MeSH
• Spodoptera * metabolismus   virologie   MeSH
• virové proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• histony MeSH
• hmyzí proteiny MeSH
• mikro RNA MeSH
• Pag1 protein, Heliothis zea virus 1 MeSH Prohlížeč
• RNA virová MeSH
• virové proteiny MeSH

Arthropod-borne flaviviruses are human pathogens of global medical importance, against which no effective small molecule-based antiviral therapy has currently been reported. Arbidol (umifenovir) is a broad-spectrum antiviral compound approved in Russia and China for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza. This compound shows activities against numerous DNA and RNA viruses. The mode of action is based predominantly on impairment of critical steps in virus-cell interactions. Here we demonstrate that arbidol possesses micromolar-level anti-viral effects (EC50 values ranging from 10.57 ± 0.74 to 19.16 ± 0.29 µM) in Vero cells infected with Zika virus, West Nile virus, and tick-borne encephalitis virus, three medically important representatives of the arthropod-borne flaviviruses. Interestingly, no antiviral effects of arbidol are observed in virus infected porcine stable kidney cells (PS), human neuroblastoma cells (UKF-NB-4), and human hepatoma cells (Huh-7 cells) indicating that the antiviral effect of arbidol is strongly cell-type dependent. Arbidol shows increasing cytotoxicity when tested in various cell lines, in the order: Huh-7 < HBCA < PS < UKF-NB-4 < Vero with CC50 values ranging from 18.69 ± 0.1 to 89.72 ± 0.19 µM. Antiviral activities and acceptable cytotoxicity profiles suggest that arbidol could be a promising candidate for further investigation as a potential therapeutic agent in selective treatment of flaviviral infections.

• Klíčová slova
• antiviral activity, arbidol, cell-type dependent antiviral effect, cytotoxicity, flavivirus, umifenovir,
• MeSH
• antivirové látky farmakologie   toxicita   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• Cercopithecus aethiops MeSH
• členovci - vektory virologie   MeSH
• Flavivirus účinky léků   genetika   MeSH
• indoly farmakologie   toxicita   MeSH
• infekce viry z rodu Flavivirus virologie   MeSH
• inhibiční koncentrace 50 MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• proteiny virového obalu genetika   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů účinky léků   MeSH
• Vero buňky MeSH
• viabilita buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• virus západního Nilu účinky léků   genetika   MeSH
• virus zika účinky léků   genetika   MeSH
• viry klíšťové encefalitidy účinky léků   genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antivirové látky MeSH
• indoly MeSH
• proteiny virového obalu MeSH
• umifenovir MeSH Prohlížeč

Individual groups of retroviruses and retroviral vectors differ in their integration site preference and interaction with the host genome. Hence, immediately after infection genome-wide distribution of integrated proviruses is non-random. During long-term in vitro or persistent in vivo infection, the genomic position and chromatin environment of the provirus affects its transcriptional activity. Thus, a selection of long-term stably expressed proviruses and elimination of proviruses, which have been gradually silenced by epigenetic mechanisms, helps in the identification of genomic compartments permissive for proviral transcription. We compare here the extent and time course of provirus silencing in single cell clones of the K562 human myeloid lymphoblastoma cell line that have been infected with retroviral reporter vectors derived from avian sarcoma/leukosis virus (ASLV), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) and murine leukaemia virus (MLV). While MLV proviruses remain transcriptionally active, ASLV proviruses are prone to rapid silencing. The HIV provirus displays gradual silencing only after an extended time period in culture. The analysis of integration sites of long-term stably expressed proviruses shows a strong bias for some genomic features-especially integration close to the transcription start sites of active transcription units. Furthermore, complex analysis of histone modifications enriched at the site of integration points to the accumulation of proviruses of all three groups in gene regulatory segments, particularly close to the enhancer loci. We conclude that the proximity to active regulatory chromatin segments correlates with stable provirus expression in various retroviral species.

• Klíčová slova
• gene regulatory elements, genome-wide provirus distribution, provirus silencing, retrovirus integration,
• MeSH
• aktivace transkripce * MeSH
• Alpharetrovirus genetika   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• chromatin genetika   MeSH
• epigeneze genetická MeSH
• genetické vektory genetika   MeSH
• genový targeting MeSH
• HIV-1 genetika   MeSH
• integrace viru MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• plazmidy genetika   MeSH
• počátek transkripce MeSH
• proviry genetika   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů MeSH
• regulační oblasti nukleových kyselin * MeSH
• stabilita RNA MeSH
• umlčování genů MeSH
• virus myší leukemie genetika   MeSH
• zesilovače transkripce MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chromatin MeSH