Naslov
Varicella-zoster virus VLT-ORF63 fusion transcript induces broad viral gene expression during reactivation from neuronal latency

Autori
Ouwendijk, Werner J. D. ; Depledge, Daniel P. ; Rajbhandari, Labchan ; Lenac Rovis, Tihana ; Jonjic, Stipan ; Breuer, Judith ; Venkatesan, Arun ; Verjans, Georges M. G. M. ; Sadaoka, Tomohiko

Izvornik
Nature Communications (2041-1723) 11 (2020), 1; 6324 (2020), 10

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Varicella-zoster virus VLT-ORF63

Sažetak
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) establishes lifelong neuronal latency in most humans world- wide, reactivating in one-third to cause herpes zoster and occasionally chronic pain. How VZV establishes, maintains and reactivates from latency is largely unknown. VZV transcription during latency is restricted to the latency- associated transcript (VLT) and RNA 63 (encoding ORF63) in naturally VZV-infected human trigeminal ganglia (TG). While significantly more abundant, VLT levels positively correlated with RNA 63 suggesting co-regulated transcription during latency. Here, we identify VLT-ORF63 fusion transcripts and confirm VLT-ORF63, but not RNA 63, expression in human TG neurons. During in vitro latency, VLT is transcribed, whereas VLT-ORF63 expression is induced by reactivation stimuli. One isoform of VLT-ORF63, encoding a fusion protein combining VLT and ORF63 proteins, induces broad viral gene transcription. Collectively, our findings show that VZV expresses a unique set of VLT-ORF63 transcripts, potentially involved in the transition from latency to lytic VZV infection.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Temeljne medicinske znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA