ICP27 interacts with the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II and facilitates its recruitment to herpes simplex virus 1 transcription sites, where it undergoes proteasomal degradation during infection

Role of human herpesvirus homologs of infected cell protein 27 (ICP27) in the biogenesis, processing, and maturation of mRNAs

Herpesviruses are enveloped viruses with large double-stranded DNA genomes that are highly prevalent in the human population and elicit numerous types of clinical manifestations, from mild to severe. These viruses are classified into three subfamilies: alpha-, beta-, and gammaherpesvirinae, all capable of establishing life-long persistent infections in the host. As strict intracellular parasites, these viruses have evolved molecular determinants to support and modulate viral and host gene transcription processes during infection and the translation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to synthesize proteins that participate in cellular pathways promoting their replication cycles and virion formation. Notably, some of these proteins have functional RNA-binding domains consisting of arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) amino acid (aa) sequences that, when methylated, regulate their nucleic acid-binding capacities and can influence the export of mRNAs lacking introns from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. Additional domains and motifs in these proteins mediate their interactions with regulatory proteins related to RNA splicing, either promoting or repressing mRNA processing. Notably, all human herpesviruses (HHVs) encode in their genomes proteins that share homology with infected cell protein 27 (ICP27) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which can significantly impact the biogenesis of mRNAs and their processing during infection. Here, we review and discuss the roles of ICP27 and the corresponding homologs encoded in different human herpesviruses, focusing on their similarities and differences in structure and function. A more profound knowledge of the role of key viral factors required for effective herpesvirus replication could aid in the design and identification of novel antivirals to treat the diseases produced by these viruses.

Herpes simplex virus-1 targets the 2'-3'cGAMP importer SLC19A1 as an antiviral countermeasure

The extracellular addition of the STING agonist, 2-3cGAMP, induces an antiviral state that inhibits HSV-1 replication in a cell type dependent manner via the transportation of the cyclic-dinucleotide through the folate antiporter SLC19A1. To establish a successful infection, herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), a ubiquitous virus with high seropositivity in the human population, must undermine a multitude of host innate and intrinsic immune defense mechanisms, including key players of the STimulator of INterferon Genes (STING) pathway. Herein, we report that HSV-1 infection results in the reduction of SLC19A1 transcription, translation, and importantly, the rapid removal of SLC19A1 from the cell surface of infected cells. Our data indicate SLC19A1 functions as a newly identified antiviral mediator for extracellular 2'-3'cGAMP which is undermined by HSV-1 protein ICP27. This work presents novel and important findings about how HSV-1 manipulates the host's immune environment for viral replication and discovers details about an important antiviral mechanism.

The S-Phase Arrest of Host Cells Caused by an Alpha-Herpesvirus Genome Replication Facilitates Viral Recruitment of RNA Polymerase II to Transcribe Viral Genes

Herpesviruses rely on host RNA polymerae II (RNA Pol II) for their mRNA transcription, yet the mechanisms of which has been poorly defined, while certain herpesviruses can enhance viral gene transcription by altering the RNA Pol II location, modulating its phosphorylation, or directly interacting with RNA Pol II. However, the influence of herpesviruses on RNA Pol II transcription extends beyond these direct effects. Here, we present a novel mechanism by which the host cell cycle regulates viral gene transcription via RNA Pol II during infection by Anatid Herpesvirus 1 (AnHV-1), an avian alpha-herpesvirus. The results demonstrated that the formation of viral replication compartments (vRCs) and the subsequent recruitment of RNA pol II are positively correlated with AnHV-1 DNA synthesis. As viral DNA replication progresses, host cells are arrested in the S phase, which not only halts host gene transcription but also facilitates viral transcription. This cell cycle arrest in the S phase promotes viral DNA (vDNA) synthesis and vRC formation, which further enhances the preferential recruitment of RNA Pol II to viral promoters, enabling efficient viral gene transcription. We propose that this S phase arrest and the hijacking of RNA Pol II represent a novel mechanism by which AnHV-1 enhances viral transcription, offering a unique survival strategy compared to the known strategy in herpesviruses. These findings expand our understanding of herpesvirus-host interactions and highlight potential targets for antiviral strategies.

The opportunities and challenges of epigenetic approaches to manage herpes simplex infections

INTRODUCTION

Despite the existence of antivirals that potently and efficiently inhibit the replication of herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1, -2), their ability to establish and maintain, and reactivate from, latency has precluded the development of curative therapies. Several groups are exploring the opportunities of targeting epigenetic regulation to permanently silence latent HSV genomes or induce their simultaneous reactivation in the presence of antivirals to flush the latent reservoirs, as has been explored for HIV.

AREAS COVERED

This review covers the basic principles of epigenetic regulation with an emphasis on those mechanisms relevant to the regulation of herpes simplex viruses, as well as the current knowledge on the regulation of lytic infections and the establishment and maintenance of, and reactivation from, latency, with an emphasis on epigenetic regulation. The differences with the epigenetic regulation of viral and cellular gene expression are highlighted as are the effects of known epigenetic regulators on herpes simplex viruses. The major limitations of current models to the development of novel antiviral strategies targeting latency are highlighted.

EXPERT OPINION

We provide an update on the epigenetic regulation during lytic and latent HSV-1 infection, highlighting the commonalities and differences with cellular gene expression and the potential of epigenetic drugs as antivirals, including the opportunities, challenges, and potential future directions.

Herpes simplex virus 1 inhibits phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II CTD serine-7

Transcriptional activity of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is influenced by post-translational modifications of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest Pol II subunit, RPB1. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) usurps the cellular transcriptional machinery during lytic infection to efficiently express viral mRNA and shut down host gene expression. The viral immediate-early protein ICP22 interferes with serine 2 phosphorylation (pS2) by targeting CDK9 and other CDKs, but the full functional implications of this are not well understood. Using Western blotting, we report that HSV-1 also induces a loss of serine 7 phosphorylation (pS7) of the CTD during lytic infection, requiring expression of the two immediate-early proteins ICP22 and ICP27. ICP27 has also been proposed to target RPB1 for degradation, but we show that pS2/S7 loss precedes the drop in total protein levels. Cells with the RPB1 polyubiquitination site mutation K1268R, preventing proteasomal degradation during transcription-coupled DNA repair, displayed loss of pS2/S7 but retained higher overall RPB1 protein levels later in infection, indicating this pathway is not involved in early CTD dysregulation but may mediate bulk protein loss later. Using α-amanitin-resistant CTD mutants, we observed differential requirements for Ser2 and Ser7 for the production of viral proteins, with Ser2 facilitating viral immediate-early genes and Ser7 appearing dispensable. Despite dysregulation of CTD phosphorylation and different requirements for Ser2/7, all CTD modifications tested could be visualized in viral replication compartments with immunofluorescence. These data expand the known means that HSV employs to create pro-viral transcriptional environments at the expense of host responses.IMPORTANCECells rapidly induce changes in the transcription of RNA in response to stress and pathogens. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) disrupts many processes of host mRNA transcription, and it is necessary to separate the actions of viral proteins from cellular responses. Here, we demonstrate that viral proteins inhibit two key phosphorylation patterns on the C-terminal domain (CTD) of cellular RNA polymerase II and that this is separate from the degradation of polymerases later in infection. Furthermore, we show that viral genes do not require the full "CTD code." Together, these data distinguish multiple steps in the remodeling of RNA polymerase during infection and suggest that shared transcriptional phenotypes during stress responses do not revolve around a core disruption of CTD modifications.

ICP22-defined condensates mediate RNAPII deubiquitylation by UL36 and promote HSV-1 transcription

Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) infection leads to RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) degradation and host transcription shutdown. We show that ICP22 defines the virus-induced chaperone-enriched (VICE) domain through liquid-liquid phase separation. Condensate-disrupting point mutations of ICP22 increase ubiquitin modification of RNAPII Ser-2P; reduce its level and occupancy on viral genes; impair viral gene expression, particularly late genes; and severely reduce viral titers. When proteasome activity is blocked, ubiquitinated RNAPII Ser-2P and the viral UL36 begin to accumulate in the ICP22 condensates. The ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) deubiquitinase domain of UL36 interacts with and erases ubiquitin modification from RNAPII Ser-2P, protecting it from degradation in infected cells. A virus carrying a catalytic mutant of the UL36 USP diminishes cellular RNAPII Ser-2P levels, viral transcription, and growth. Thus, ICP22 condensates are processing centers where RNAPII Ser-2P is recruited to be deubiquitinated to ensure viral transcription when host transcription is disrupted following infection.

Cellular state landscape and herpes simplex virus type 1 infection progression are connected

Prediction, prevention and treatment of virus infections require understanding of cell-to-cell variability that leads to heterogenous disease outcomes, but the source of this heterogeneity has yet to be clarified. To study the multimodal response of single human cells to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, we mapped high-dimensional viral and cellular state spaces throughout the infection using multiplexed imaging and quantitative single-cell measurements of viral and cellular mRNAs and proteins. Here we show that the high-dimensional cellular state scape can predict heterogenous infections, and cells move through the cellular state landscape according to infection progression. Spatial information reveals that infection changes the cellular state of both infected cells and of their neighbors. The multiplexed imaging of HSV-1-induced cellular modifications links infection progression to changes in signaling responses, transcriptional activity, and processing bodies. Our data show that multiplexed quantification of responses at the single-cell level, across thousands of cells helps predict infections and identify new targets for antivirals.

Herpes Simplex Virus-1 ICP27 Nuclear Export Signal Mutants Exhibit Cell Type-Dependent Deficits in Replication and ICP4 Expression

Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) protein ICP27 is an essential immediate early (IE) protein that promotes the expression of viral early (E) and late (L) genes via multiple mechanisms. Our understanding of this complex regulatory protein has been greatly enhanced by the characterization of HSV-1 mutants bearing engineered alterations in the ICP27 gene. However, much of this analysis has been performed in interferon-deficient Vero monkey cells. Here, we assessed the replication of a panel of ICP27 mutants in several other cell types. Our analysis shows that mutants lacking ICP27's amino (N)-terminal nuclear export signal (NES) display a striking cell type-dependent growth phenotype, i.e., they grow semi-permissively in Vero and some other cells but are tightly blocked for replication in primary human fibroblasts and multiple human cell lines. This tight growth defect correlates with a failure of these mutants to replicate viral DNA. We also report that HSV-1 NES mutants are deficient in expressing the IE protein ICP4 at early times postinfection. Analysis of viral RNA levels suggests that this phenotype is due, at least in part, to a defect in the export of ICP4 mRNA to the cytoplasm. In combination, our results (i) show that ICP27's NES is critically important for HSV-1 replication in many human cells, and (ii) suggest that ICP27 plays a heretofore unappreciated role in the expression of ICP4. IMPORTANCE HSV-1 IE proteins drive productive HSV-1 replication. The major paradigm of IE gene induction, developed over many years, involves the parallel activation of the five IE genes by the viral tegument protein VP16, which recruits the host RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) to the IE gene promoters. Here, we provide evidence that ICP27 can enhance ICP4 expression early in infection. Because ICP4 is required for transcription of viral E and L genes, this finding may be relevant to understanding how HSV-1 enters and exits the latent state in neurons.

RNA polymerase II subunit modulation during viral infection and cellular stress

Control of gene expression, including transcription, is central in dictating the outcome of viral infection. One of the profound alterations induced by viruses is modification to the integrity and function of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Here, we discuss how infection perturbs the Pol II complex by altering subunit phosphorylation and turnover, as well as how cellular genotoxic stress (e.g. DNA damage) elicits similar outcomes. By highlighting emerging parallels and differences in Pol II control during viral infection and abiotic stress, we hope to bolster identification of pathways that target Pol II and regulate the transcriptome.

Replication Compartments of Eukaryotic and Bacterial DNA Viruses: Common Themes Between Different Domains of Host Cells

Subcellular organization is essential for life. Cells organize their functions into organelles to concentrate their machinery and supplies for optimal efficiency. Likewise, viruses organize their replication machinery into compartments or factories within their host cells for optimal replicative efficiency. In this review, we discuss how DNA viruses that infect both eukaryotic cells and bacteria assemble replication compartments for synthesis of progeny viral DNA and transcription of the viral genome. Eukaryotic DNA viruses assemble replication compartments in the nucleus of the host cell while DNA bacteriophages assemble compartments called phage nuclei in the bacterial cytoplasm. Thus, DNA viruses infecting host cells from different domains of life share common replication strategies.

ICP22 of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Decreases RNA Polymerase Processivity

To determine the role of ICP22 in transcription, we performed precise nuclear run-on followed by deep sequencing (PRO-seq) and global nuclear run-on with sequencing (GRO-seq) in cells infected with a viral mutant lacking the entire ICP22-encoding α22 (US1/US1.5) gene and a virus derived from this mutant bearing a restored α22 gene. At 3 h postinfection (hpi), the lack of ICP22 reduced RNA polymerase (Pol) promoter proximal pausing (PPP) on the immediate early α4, α0, and α27 genes. Diminished PPP at these sites accompanied increased Pol processivity across the entire herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) genome in GRO-seq assays, resulting in substantial increases in antisense and intergenic transcription. The diminished PPP on α gene promoters at 3 hpi was distinguishable from effects caused by treatment with a viral DNA polymerase inhibitor at this time. The ICP22 mutant had multiple defects at 6 hpi, including lower viral DNA replication, reduced Pol activity on viral genes, and increased Pol activity on cellular genes. The lack of ICP22 also increased PPP release from most cellular genes, while a minority of cellular genes exhibited decreased PPP release. Taken together, these data indicate that ICP22 acts to negatively regulate transcriptional elongation on viral genes in part to limit antisense and intergenic transcription on the highly compact viral genome. This regulatory function directly or indirectly helps to retain Pol activity on the viral genome later in infection. IMPORTANCE The longstanding observation that ICP22 reduces RNA polymerase II (Pol II) serine 2 phosphorylation, which initiates transcriptional elongation, is puzzling because this phosphorylation is essential for viral replication. The current study helps explain this apparent paradox because it demonstrates significant advantages in negatively regulating transcriptional elongation, including the reduction of antisense and intergenic transcription. Delays in elongation would be expected to facilitate the ordered assembly and functions of transcriptional initiation, elongation, and termination complexes. Such limiting functions are likely to be important in herpesvirus genomes that are otherwise highly transcriptionally active and compact, comprising mostly short, intronless genes near neighboring genes of opposite sense and containing numerous 3'-nested sets of genes that share transcriptional termination signals but differ at transcriptional start sites on the same template strand.

A Review of the Multipronged Attack of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 on the Host Transcriptional Machinery

During lytic infection, herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 induces a rapid shutoff of host RNA synthesis while redirecting transcriptional machinery to viral genes. In addition to being a major human pathogen, there is burgeoning clinical interest in HSV as a vector in gene delivery and oncolytic therapies, necessitating research into transcriptional control. This review summarizes the array of impacts that HSV has on RNA Polymerase (Pol) II, which transcribes all mRNA in infected cells. We discuss alterations in Pol II holoenzymes, post-translational modifications, and how viral proteins regulate specific activities such as promoter-proximal pausing, splicing, histone repositioning, and termination with respect to host genes. Recent technological innovations that have reshaped our understanding of previous observations are summarized in detail, along with specific research directions and technical considerations for future studies.

Widespread remodeling of the m6A RNA-modification landscape by a viral regulator of RNA processing and export

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal messenger RNA (mRNA) modification, contributing to the processing, stability, and function of methylated RNAs. Methylation occurs in the nucleus during pre-mRNA synthesis and requires a core methyltransferase complex consisting of METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP. During herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infection, cellular gene expression is profoundly suppressed, allowing the virus to monopolize the host transcription and translation apparatus and antagonize antiviral responses. The extent to which HSV-1 uses or manipulates the m6A pathway is not known. Here, we show that, in primary fibroblasts, HSV-1 orchestrates a striking redistribution of the nuclear m6A machinery that progresses through the infection cycle. METTL3 and METTL14 are dispersed into the cytoplasm, whereas WTAP remains nuclear. Other regulatory subunits of the methyltransferase complex, along with the nuclear m6A-modified RNA binding protein YTHDC1 and nuclear demethylase ALKBH5, are similarly redistributed. These changes require ICP27, a viral regulator of host mRNA processing that mediates the nucleocytoplasmic export of viral late mRNAs. Viral gene expression is initially reduced by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated inactivation of the m6A methyltransferase but becomes less impacted as the infection advances. Redistribution of the nuclear m6A machinery is accompanied by a wide-scale reduction in the installation of m6A and other RNA modifications on both host and viral mRNAs. These results reveal a far-reaching mechanism by which HSV-1 subverts host gene expression to favor viral replication.

MG-132 interferes with iron cellular homeostasis and alters virulence of bovine herpesvirus 1

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) requires an iron-replete cell host to replicate efficiently. BoHV-1 infection provokes an increase in ferritin levels and a decrease of transferrin receptor 1 (TfR-1) expression, ultimately lowering iron pool extent. Thus, cells try to limit iron availability for virus spread. It has been demonstrated that MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, reduces BoHV-1 release. Since ferritin, the major iron storage protein in mammalian cells, undergoes proteasome-mediated degradation, herein, the influence of MG-132 on iron metabolism during BoHV-1 infection was examined. Following infection in bovine cells (MDBK), MG-132 reduced cell death and viral yield. Western blot analysis showed a significant ferritin accumulation, likely due to the inhibition of its proteasome-mediated degradation pathway. In addition, the concomitant down-regulation of TfR-1 expression, observed during infection, was counteracted by proteasome inhibitor. This trend may be explained by enhanced acidic vesicular organelles, detected by acridine orange staining, determining a reduction of intracellular pH, that promotes new synthesis of TfR-1 degraded in a recycling pathway. In addition, MG-132 influences cellular iron distribution during BoHV-1 infection, as revealed by Perls' Prussian blue staining. However, cellular iron content, evaluated by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, resulted essentially unaltered. These findings reveal that MG-132 may contribute to limit cellular iron availability for virus replication thereby enhancing cell survival.

Mechanism and consequences of herpes simplex virus 1-mediated regulation of host mRNA alternative polyadenylation

Eukaryotic gene expression is extensively regulated by cellular stress and pathogen infections. We have previously shown that herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and several cellular stresses cause widespread disruption of transcription termination (DoTT) of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in host genes and that the viral immediate early factor ICP27 plays an important role in HSV-1-induced DoTT. Here, we show that HSV-1 infection also leads to widespread changes in alternative polyadenylation (APA) of host mRNAs. In the majority of cases, polyadenylation shifts to upstream poly(A) sites (PAS), including many intronic PAS. Mechanistically, ICP27 contributes to HSV-1-mediated APA regulation. HSV-1- and ICP27-induced activation of intronic PAS is sequence-dependent and does not involve general inhibition of U1 snRNP. HSV1-induced intronic polyadenylation is accompanied by early termination of RNAPII. HSV-1-induced mRNAs polyadenylated at intronic PAS (IPA) are exported into the cytoplasm while APA isoforms with extended 3' UTRs are sequestered in the nuclei, both preventing the expression of the full-length gene products. Finally we provide evidence that HSV-induced IPA isoforms are translated. Together with other recent studies, our results suggest that viral infection and cellular stresses induce a multi-faceted host response that includes DoTT and changes in APA profiles.

Dissecting Herpes Simplex Virus 1-Induced Host Shutoff at the RNA Level

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) induces a profound host shutoff during lytic infection. The virion host shutoff (vhs) protein plays a key role in this process by efficiently cleaving host and viral mRNAs. Furthermore, the onset of viral DNA replication is accompanied by a rapid decline in host transcriptional activity. To dissect relative contributions of both mechanisms and elucidate gene-specific host transcriptional responses throughout the first 8 h of lytic HSV-1 infection, we used transcriptome sequencing of total, newly transcribed (4sU-labeled) and chromatin-associated RNA in wild-type (WT) and Δvhs mutant infection of primary human fibroblasts. Following virus entry, vhs activity rapidly plateaued at an elimination rate of around 30% of cellular mRNAs per hour until 8 h postinfection (p.i.). In parallel, host transcriptional activity dropped to 10 to 20%. While the combined effects of both phenomena dominated infection-induced changes in total RNA, extensive gene-specific transcriptional regulation was observable in chromatin-associated RNA and was surprisingly concordant between WT and Δvhs infections. Both induced strong transcriptional upregulation of a small subset of genes that were poorly expressed prior to infection but already primed by H3K4me3 histone marks at their promoters. Most interestingly, analysis of chromatin-associated RNA revealed vhs-nuclease-activity-dependent transcriptional downregulation of at least 150 cellular genes, in particular of many integrin adhesome and extracellular matrix components. This was accompanied by a vhs-dependent reduction in protein levels by 8 h p.i. for many of these genes. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive picture of the molecular mechanisms that govern cellular RNA metabolism during the first 8 h of lytic HSV-1 infection.IMPORTANCE The HSV-1 virion host shutoff (vhs) protein efficiently cleaves both host and viral mRNAs in a translation-dependent manner. In this study, we model and quantify changes in vhs activity, as well as virus-induced global loss of host transcriptional activity, during productive HSV-1 infection. In general, HSV-1-induced alterations in total RNA levels were dominated by these two global effects. In contrast, chromatin-associated RNA depicted gene-specific transcriptional changes. This revealed highly concordant transcriptional changes in WT and Δvhs infections, confirmed DUX4 as a key transcriptional regulator in HSV-1 infection, and identified vhs-dependent transcriptional downregulation of the integrin adhesome and extracellular matrix components. The latter explained seemingly gene-specific effects previously attributed to vhs-mediated mRNA degradation and resulted in a concordant loss in protein levels by 8 h p.i. for many of the respective genes.

Viral interactions with non-homologous end-joining: a game of hide-and-seek

There are extensive interactions between viruses and the host DNA damage response (DDR) machinery. The outcome of these interactions includes not only direct effects on viral nucleic acids and genome replication, but also the activation of host stress response signalling pathways that can have further, indirect effects on viral life cycles. The non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway is responsible for the rapid and imprecise repair of DNA double-stranded breaks in the nucleus that would otherwise be highly toxic. Whilst directly repairing DNA, components of the NHEJ machinery, in particular the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), can activate a raft of downstream signalling events that activate antiviral, cell cycle checkpoint and apoptosis pathways. This combination of possible outcomes results in NHEJ being pro- or antiviral depending on the infection. In this review we will describe the broad range of interactions between NHEJ components and viruses and their consequences for both host and pathogen.

The gammaherpesviral TATA-box-binding protein directly interacts with the CTD of host RNA Pol II to direct late gene transcription

β- and γ-herpesviruses include the oncogenic human viruses Kaposi's sarcoma-associated virus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), which is a significant cause of congenital disease. Near the end of their replication cycle, these viruses transcribe their late genes in a manner distinct from host transcription. Late gene transcription requires six virally encoded proteins, one of which is a functional mimic of host TATA-box-binding protein (TBP) that is also involved in recruitment of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) via unknown mechanisms. Here, we applied biochemical protein interaction studies together with electron microscopy-based imaging of a reconstituted human preinitiation complex to define the mechanism underlying Pol II recruitment. These data revealed that the herpesviral TBP, encoded by ORF24 in KSHV, makes a direct protein-protein contact with the C-terminal domain of host RNA polymerase II (Pol II), which is a unique feature that functionally distinguishes viral from cellular TBP. The interaction is mediated by the N-terminal domain (NTD) of ORF24 through a conserved motif that is shared in its β- and γ-herpesvirus homologs. Thus, these herpesviruses employ an unprecedented strategy in eukaryotic transcription, wherein promoter recognition and polymerase recruitment are facilitated by a single transcriptional activator with functionally distinct domains.

RNA decay during gammaherpesvirus infection reduces RNA polymerase II occupancy of host promoters but spares viral promoters

In mammalian cells, widespread acceleration of cytoplasmic mRNA degradation is linked to impaired RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. This mRNA decay-induced transcriptional repression occurs during infection with gammaherpesviruses including Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68), which encode an mRNA endonuclease that initiates widespread RNA decay. Here, we show that MHV68-induced mRNA decay leads to a genome-wide reduction of Pol II occupancy at mammalian promoters. This reduced Pol II occupancy is accompanied by down-regulation of multiple Pol II subunits and TFIIB in the nucleus of infected cells, as revealed by mass spectrometry-based global measurements of protein abundance. Viral genes, despite the fact that they require Pol II for transcription, escape transcriptional repression. Protection is not governed by viral promoter sequences; instead, location on the viral genome is both necessary and sufficient to escape the transcriptional repression effects of mRNA decay. We propose a model in which the ability to escape from transcriptional repression is linked to the localization of viral DNA within replication compartments, providing a means for these viruses to counteract decay-induced transcript loss.

While transcription and messenger RNA (mRNA) decay are often considered to be the unlinked beginning and end of gene expression, recent data indicate that alterations to either stage can impact the other. Here we study this connection in the context of lytic gammaherpesvirus infection, which accelerates mRNA degradation through the expression of the viral endonuclease muSOX. We show that RNA polymerase II promoter occupancy is broadly reduced across mammalian promoters in response to infection-induced mRNA decay, and that this phenotype correlates with a reduction in the abundance of several proteins involved in transcription. Notably, gammaherpesviral promoters are resistant to the ensuing transcriptional repression. We show that viral transcriptional escape is conferred by localization of the viral DNA within the protective environment of replication compartments, which are sites of viral genome replication and transcription during infection. Collectively, these findings clarify how mRNA degradation by gammaherpesviruses reshapes the cellular environment and selectively dampens host gene transcription.

Hidden regulation of herpes simplex virus 1 pre-mRNA splicing and polyadenylation by virally encoded immediate early gene ICP27

In contrast to human cells, very few HSV-1 genes are known to be spliced, although the same pre-mRNA processing machinery is shared. Here, through global analysis of splice junctions in cells infected with HSV-1 and an HSV-1 mutant virus with deletion of infectious cell culture protein 27 (ICP27), one of two viral immediate early (IE) genes essential for viral replication, we identify hundreds of novel alternative splice junctions mapping to both previously known HSV-1 spliced genes and previously unknown spliced genes, the majority of which alter the coding potential of viral genes. Quantitative and qualitative splicing efficiency analysis of these novel alternatively spliced genes based on RNA-Seq and RT-PCR reveals that splicing at these novel splice sites is efficient only when ICP27 is absent; while in wildtype HSV-1 infected cells, the splicing of these novel splice junctions is largely silenced in a gene/sequence specific manner, suggesting that ICP27 not only promotes accumulation of ICP27 targeted transcripts but also ensures correctness of the functional coding sequences through inhibition of alternative splicing. Furthermore, ICP27 toggles expression of ICP34.5, the major viral neurovirulence factor, through inhibition of splicing and activation of a proximal polyadenylation signal (PAS) in the newly identified intron, revealing a novel regulatory mechanism for expression of a viral gene. Thus, through the viral IE protein ICP27, HSV-1 co-opts both splicing and polyadenylation machinery to achieve optimal viral gene expression during lytic infection. On the other hand, during latent infection when ICP27 is absent, HSV-1 likely takes advantages of host splicing machinery to restrict expression of randomly activated antigenic viral genes to achieve immune evasion.

Little is known regarding to how HSV, a large DNA virus and known to contain very few spliced genes, escapes host pre-mRNA splicing machinery. Here, by establishing a high throughput splice junction identification platform and quantitative analysis method to assess splicing efficiency based on high throughput data, we find that HSV-1 encodes hundreds of previously unknown alternative splice junctions; however, splicing of these novel spliced genes is largely silenced in wild-type HSV-1 infected cells, explaining why only very few spliced genes have been previously identified in HSV-1. Moreover, ICP27 is required for splicing inhibition and 3’ end formation of ICP34.5, the major viral neurovirulence factor and also the major target of latently expressed viral miRNAs. These findings not only fundamentally change the view of HSV gene structure, but also reveal a mechanism by which HSV employs host splicing and polyadenylation machineries to achieve optimal gene expression during acute infection and may also contribute to immune evasion during latency when ICP27 is not expressed.

Evidence for DNA-mediated nuclear compartmentalization distinct from phase separation

RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) and transcription factors form concentrated hubs in cells via multivalent protein-protein interactions, often mediated by proteins with intrinsically disordered regions. During Herpes Simplex Virus infection, viral replication compartments (RCs) efficiently enrich host Pol II into membraneless domains, reminiscent of liquid-liquid phase separation. Despite sharing several properties with phase-separated condensates, we show that RCs operate via a distinct mechanism wherein unrestricted nonspecific protein-DNA interactions efficiently outcompete host chromatin, profoundly influencing the way DNA-binding proteins explore RCs. We find that the viral genome remains largely nucleosome-free, and this increase in accessibility allows Pol II and other DNA-binding proteins to repeatedly visit nearby DNA binding sites. This anisotropic behavior creates local accumulations of protein factors despite their unrestricted diffusion across RC boundaries. Our results reveal underappreciated consequences of nonspecific DNA binding in shaping gene activity, and suggest additional roles for chromatin in modulating nuclear function and organization.

Classification of human Herpesviridae proteins using Domain-architecture Aware Inference of Orthologs (DAIO)

We developed a computational approach called Domain-architecture Aware Inference of Orthologs (DAIO) for the analysis of protein orthology by combining phylogenetic and protein domain-architecture information. Using DAIO, we performed a systematic study of the proteomes of all human Herpesviridae species to define Strict Ortholog Groups (SOGs). In addition to assessing the taxonomic distribution for each protein based on sequence similarity, we performed a protein domain-architecture analysis for every protein family and computationally inferred gene duplication events. While many herpesvirus proteins have evolved without any detectable gene duplications or domain rearrangements, numerous herpesvirus protein families do exhibit complex evolutionary histories. Some proteins acquired additional domains (e.g., DNA polymerase), whereas others show a combination of domain acquisition and gene duplication (e.g., betaherpesvirus US22 family), with possible functional implications. This novel classification system of SOGs for human Herpesviridae proteins is available through the Virus Pathogen Resource (ViPR, www.viprbrc.org).

The Herpesviridae Conserved Multifunctional Infected-Cell Protein 27 (ICP27) Is Important but Not Required for Replication and Oncogenicity of Marek's Disease Alphaherpesvirus

The Herpesviridae conserved infected-cell protein 27 (ICP27) is essential for cell culture-based replication of most herpesviruses studied. For members of the Alphaherpesvirinae, ICP27 regulates the expression of many viral genes, including expression of pUL44 (gC), pUL47 (VP13/14), and pUL48 (VP16). These three viral proteins are dysregulated during Marek's disease alphaherpesvirus (MDV) replication in cell culture. MDV replicates in a highly cell-associated manner in cell culture, producing little to no infectious virus. In contrast, infectious cell-free MDV is produced in specialized feather follicle epithelial (FFE) cells of infected chickens, in which these three genes are abundantly expressed. This led us to hypothesize that MDV ICP27, encoded by gene UL54, is a defining factor for the dysregulation of gC, pUL47, and pUL48 and, ultimately, ineffective virus production in cell culture. To address ICP27's role in MDV replication, we generated recombinant MDV with ICP27 deleted (vΔ54). Interestingly, vΔ54 replicated, but plaque sizes were significantly reduced compared to those of parental viruses. The reduced cell-to-cell spread was due to ICP27 since plaque sizes were restored in rescued viruses, as well as when vΔ54 was propagated in cells expressing ICP27 in trans In chickens, vΔ54 replicated, induced disease, and was oncogenic but was unable to transmit from chicken to chicken. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that the Herpesviridae conserved ICP27 protein is dispensable for replication and disease induction in its natural host.IMPORTANCE Marek's disease (MD) is a devastating oncogenic disease that affects the poultry industry and is caused by MD alphaherpesvirus (MDV). Current vaccines block induction of disease but do not block chicken-to-chicken transmission. There is a knowledge gap in our understanding of how MDV spreads from chicken to chicken. We studied the Herpesviridae conserved ICP27 regulatory protein in cell culture and during MDV infection in chickens. We determined that MDV ICP27 is important but not required for replication in both cell culture and chickens. In addition, MDV ICP27 was not required for disease induction or oncogenicity but was required for chicken-to-chicken transmission. This study is important because it addresses the role of ICP27 during infection in the natural host and provides important information for the development of therapies to protect chickens against MD.

Role for a Filamentous Nuclear Assembly of IFI16, DNA, and Host Factors in Restriction of Herpesviral Infection

Mammalian cells exhibit numerous strategies to recognize and contain viral infections. The best-characterized antiviral responses are those that are induced within the cytosol by receptors that activate interferon responses or shut down translation. Antiviral responses also occur in the nucleus, yet these intranuclear innate immune responses are poorly defined at the receptor-proximal level. In this study, we explored the ability of cells to restrict infection by assembling viral DNA into transcriptionally silent heterochromatin within the nucleus. We found that the IFI16 restriction factor forms filaments on DNA within infected cells. These filaments recruit antiviral restriction factors to prevent viral replication in various cell types. Mechanistically, IFI16 filaments inhibit the recruitment of RNA polymerase II to viral genes. We propose that IFI16 filaments with associated restriction factors constitute a “restrictosome” structure that can signal to other parts of the nucleus where foreign DNA is located that it should be silenced.

Several host cell nuclear factors are known to restrict herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) replication, but their mechanisms of action remain to be defined. Interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) and the nuclear domain 10-associated proteins, such as promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein, localize to input viral genomes, but they are also capable of restricting progeny viral transcription. In this study, we used structured illumination microscopy to show that after HSV DNA replication, IFI16 forms nuclear filamentous structures on DNA within a subset of nuclear replication compartments in HSV-1 ICP0-null mutant virus-infected human cells. The ability to form filaments in different cell types correlates with the efficiency of restriction, and the kinetics of filament formation and epigenetic changes are similar. Thus, both are consistent with the filamentous structures being involved in epigenetic silencing of viral progeny DNA. IFI16 filaments recruit other restriction factors, including PML, Sp100, and ATRX, to aid in the restriction. Although the filaments are only in a subset of the replication compartments, IFI16 reduces the levels of elongation-competent RNA polymerase II (Pol II) in all replication compartments. Therefore, we propose that IFI16 filaments with associated restriction factors that form in replication compartments constitute a “restrictosome” structure that signals in cis and trans to silence the progeny viral DNA throughout the infected cell nucleus. The IFI16 filamentous structure may constitute the first known nuclear supramolecular organizing center for signaling in the cell nucleus.

Overlapping motifs on the herpes viral proteins ICP27 and ORF57 mediate interactions with the mRNA export adaptors ALYREF and UIF

The TREX complex mediates the passage of bulk cellular mRNA export to the nuclear export factor TAP/NXF1 via the export adaptors ALYREF or UIF, which appear to act in a redundant manner. TREX complex recruitment to nascent RNA is coupled with 5′ capping, splicing and polyadenylation. Therefore to facilitate expression from their intronless genes, herpes viruses have evolved a mechanism to circumvent these cellular controls. Central to this process is a protein from the conserved ICP27 family, which binds viral transcripts and cellular TREX complex components including ALYREF. Here we have identified a novel interaction between HSV-1 ICP27 and an N-terminal domain of UIF in vivo, and used NMR spectroscopy to locate the UIF binding site within an intrinsically disordered region of ICP27. We also characterized the interaction sites of the ICP27 homolog ORF57 from KSHV with UIF and ALYREF using NMR, revealing previously unidentified binding motifs. In both ORF57 and ICP27 the interaction sites for ALYREF and UIF partially overlap, suggestive of mutually exclusive binding. The data provide a map of the binding sites responsible for promoting herpes virus mRNA export, enabling future studies to accurately probe these interactions and reveal the functional consequences for UIF and ALYREF redundancy.

Epstein-Barr Virus Protein EB2 Stimulates Translation Initiation of mRNAs through Direct Interactions with both Poly(A)-Binding Protein and Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4G

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) expresses several mRNAs produced from intronless genes that could potentially be unfavorably translated compared to cellular spliced mRNAs. To overcome this situation, the virus encodes an RNA-binding protein (RBP) called EB2, which was previously found to both facilitate the export of nuclear mRNAs and increase their translational yield. Here, we show that EB2 binds both nuclear and cytoplasmic cap-binding complexes (CBC and eukaryotic initiation factor 4F [eIF4F], respectively) as well as the poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) to enhance translation initiation of a given messenger ribonucleoparticle (mRNP). Interestingly, such an effect can be obtained only if EB2 is initially bound to the native mRNPs in the nucleus. We also demonstrate that the EB2-eIF4F-PABP association renders translation of these mRNPs less sensitive to translation initiation inhibitors. Taken together, our data suggest that EB2 binds and stabilizes cap-binding complexes in order to increase mRNP translation and furthermore demonstrate the importance of the mRNP assembly process in the nucleus to promote protein synthesis in the cytoplasm.IMPORTANCE Most herpesvirus early and late genes are devoid of introns. However, it is now well documented that mRNA splicing facilitates recruitment on the mRNAs of cellular factors involved in nuclear mRNA export and translation efficiency. To overcome the absence of splicing of herpesvirus mRNAs, a viral protein, EB2 in the case of Epstein-Barr virus, is produced to facilitate the cytoplasmic accumulation of viral mRNAs. Although we previously showed that EB2 also specifically enhances translation of its target mRNAs, the mechanism was unknown. Here, we show that EB2 first is recruited to the mRNA cap structure in the nucleus and then interacts with the proteins eIF4G and PABP to enhance the initiation step of translation.

Widespread activation of antisense transcription of the host genome during herpes simplex virus 1 infection

Background

Herpesviruses can infect a wide range of animal species. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is one of the eight herpesviruses that can infect humans and is prevalent worldwide. Herpesviruses have evolved multiple ways to adapt the infected cells to their needs, but knowledge about these transcriptional and post-transcriptional modifications is sparse.

Results

Here, we show that HSV-1 induces the expression of about 1000 antisense transcripts from the human host cell genome. A subset of these is also activated by the closely related varicella zoster virus. Antisense transcripts originate either at gene promoters or within the gene body, and they show different susceptibility to the inhibition of early and immediate early viral gene expression. Overexpression of the major viral transcription factor ICP4 is sufficient to turn on a subset of antisense transcripts. Histone marks around transcription start sites of HSV-1-induced and constitutively transcribed antisense transcripts are highly similar, indicating that the genetic loci are already poised to transcribe these novel RNAs. Furthermore, an antisense transcript overlapping with the BBC3 gene (also known as PUMA) transcriptionally silences this potent inducer of apoptosis in cis.

Conclusions

We show for the first time that a virus induces widespread antisense transcription of the host cell genome. We provide evidence that HSV-1 uses this to downregulate a strong inducer of apoptosis. Our findings open new perspectives on global and specific alterations of host cell transcription by viruses.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-017-1329-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

MG-132 reduces virus release in Bovine herpesvirus-1 infection

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) can provoke conjunctivitis, abortions and shipping fever. BoHV-1 infection can also cause immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections, leading to pneumonia and occasionally to death. Herein, we investigated the influence of MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, on BoHV-1 infection in bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. Infection of MDBK cells with BoHV-1 induces apoptotic cell death that enhances virus release. Whereas, MG-132 inhibited virus-induced apoptosis and stimulated autophagy. Protein expression of viral infected cell protein 0 (bICP0), which is constitutively expressed during infection and is able to stimulate Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), was completely inhibited by MG-132. These results were accompanied by a significant delay in the NF-κB activation. Interestingly, the efficient virus release provoked by BoHV-1-induced apoptosis was significantly reduced by MG-132. Overall, this study suggests that MG-132, through the activation of autophagy, may limit BoHV-1 replication during productive infection, by providing an antiviral defense mechanism.

Duck enteritis virus (DEV) UL54 protein, a novel partner, interacts with DEV UL24 protein

Background

UL24 is a multifunctional protein that is conserved among alphaherpesviruses and is believed to play an important role in viral infection and replication.

Results

In this paper, to investigate putative UL24-binding proteins and to explore the functional mechanisms of DEV UL24, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) was carried out, and further verified the interaction between UL24 and partners by co-immunoprecipitation and fluorescence microscopy experiments. Interaction partners of UL24 protein were screened by yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) with the cDNA library of DEV-CHv strain post-infection DEF cells. A novel partner, DEV UL54 protein, was discovered by Y2H screening and bioinformatic. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments suggested that DEV UL24 interacted with UL54 proteins. And distribution of a part of UL54 protein was changed from nucleus to cytoplasm in DF-1 cells of co-subcellular localization experiments which also showed that DEV UL24 interacted with UL54 proteins.

Conclusions

The interaction between the DEV UL24 and UL54 proteins was discovered for the first time. Thus, DEV UL54 protein as a novel partner interacted with DEV UL24 protein.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12985-017-0830-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

CDK9 and SPT5 proteins are specifically required for expression of herpes simplex virus 1 replication-dependent late genes

DNA replication greatly enhances expression of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) γ2 late genes by still unknown mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that 5,6-dichloro-1-β-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), an inhibitor of CDK9, suppresses expression of γ2 late genes with an IC₅₀ of 5 μm, which is at least 10 times lower than the IC₅₀ value required for inhibition of expression of early genes. The effect of DRB could not be explained by inhibition of DNA replication per se or loading of RNA polymerase II to late promoters and subsequent reduction of transcription. Instead, DRB reduces accumulation of γ2 late mRNA in the cytoplasm. In addition, we show that siRNA-mediated knockdown of the transcription factor SPT5, but not NELF-E, also gives rise to a specific inhibition of HSV-1 late gene expression. Finally, addition of DRB reduces co-immunoprecipitation of ICP27 using an anti-SPT5 antibody. Our results suggest that efficient expression of replication-dependent γ2 late genes is, at least in part, regulated by CDK9 dependent co- and/or post-transcriptional events involving SPT5 and ICP27.

Regulation of T-type Ca2+ channel expression by herpes simplex virus-1 infection in sensory-like ND7 cells

Infection of sensory neurons by herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 disrupts electrical excitability, altering pain sensory transmission. Because of their low threshold for activation, functional expression of T-type Ca²⁺ channels regulates various cell functions, including neuronal excitability and neuronal communication. In this study, we have tested the effect of HSV-1 infection on the functional expression of T-type Ca²⁺ channels in differentiated ND7-23 sensory-like neurons. Voltage-gated Ca²⁺ currents were measured using whole cell patch clamp recordings in differentiated ND7-23 neurons under various culture conditions. Differentiation of ND7-23 cells evokes a significant increase in T-type Ca²⁺ current densities. Increased T-type Ca²⁺ channel expression promotes the morphological differentiation of ND7-23 cells and triggers a rebound depolarization. HSV-1 infection of differentiated ND7-23 cells causes a significant loss of T-type Ca²⁺ channels from the membrane. HSV-1 evoked reduction in the functional expression of T-type Ca²⁺ channels is mediated by several factors, including decreased expression of Ca_v3.2 T-type Ca²⁺ channel subunits and disruption of endocytic transport. Decreased functional expression of T-type Ca²⁺ channels by HSV-1 infection requires protein synthesis and viral replication, but occurs independently of Egr-1 expression. These findings suggest that infection of neuron-like cells by HSV-1 causes a significant disruption in the expression of T-type Ca²⁺ channels, which can results in morphological and functional changes in electrical excitability.

A Herpesviral Immediate Early Protein Promotes Transcription Elongation of Viral Transcripts

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) genes are transcribed by cellular RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). While four viral immediate early proteins (ICP4, ICP0, ICP27, and ICP22) function in some capacity in viral transcription, the mechanism by which ICP22 functions remains unclear. We observed that the FACT complex (comprised of SSRP1 and Spt16) was relocalized in infected cells as a function of ICP22. ICP22 was also required for the association of FACT and the transcription elongation factors SPT5 and SPT6 with viral genomes. We further demonstrated that the FACT complex interacts with ICP22 throughout infection. We therefore hypothesized that ICP22 recruits cellular transcription elongation factors to viral genomes for efficient transcription elongation of viral genes. We reevaluated the phenotype of an ICP22 mutant virus by determining the abundance of all viral mRNAs throughout infection by transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). The accumulation of almost all viral mRNAs late in infection was reduced compared to the wild type, regardless of kinetic class. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), we mapped the location of RNA Pol II on viral genes and found that RNA Pol II levels on the bodies of viral genes were reduced in the ICP22 mutant compared to wild-type virus. In contrast, the association of RNA Pol II with transcription start sites in the mutant was not reduced. Taken together, our results indicate that ICP22 plays a role in recruiting elongation factors like the FACT complex to the HSV-1 genome to allow for efficient viral transcription elongation late in viral infection and ultimately infectious virion production.

HSV-1 interacts with many cellular proteins throughout productive infection. Here, we demonstrate the interaction of a viral protein, ICP22, with a subset of cellular proteins known to be involved in transcription elongation. We determined that ICP22 is required to recruit the FACT complex and other transcription elongation factors to viral genomes and that in the absence of ICP22 viral transcription is globally reduced late in productive infection, due to an elongation defect. This insight defines a fundamental role of ICP22 in HSV-1 infection and elucidates the involvement of cellular factors in HSV-1 transcription.

Regulation of viral gene expression by duck enteritis virus UL54

Duck enteritis virus (DEV) UL54 is a homologue of human herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) ICP27, which plays essential regulatory roles during infection. Our previous studies indicated that DEV UL54 is an immediate-early protein that can shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In the present study, we found that UL54-deleted DEV (DEV-ΔUL54) exhibits growth kinetics, a plaque size and a viral DNA copy number that are significantly different from those of its parent wild-type virus (DEV-LoxP) and the revertant (DEV-ΔUL54 (Revertant)). Relative viral mRNA levels, reflecting gene expression, the transcription phase and the translation stage, are also significantly different between DEV-ΔUL54-infected cells and DEV-LoxP/DEV-ΔUL54 (Revertant)-infected cells. However, the localization pattern of UL30 mRNA is obviously changed in DEV-ΔUL54-infected cells. These findings suggest that DEV UL54 is important for virus growth and may regulate viral gene expression during transcription, mRNA export and translation.

Human Antiviral Protein IFIX Suppresses Viral Gene Expression during Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) Infection and Is Counteracted by Virus-induced Proteasomal Degradation

The interferon-inducible protein X (IFIX), a member of the PYHIN family, was recently recognized as an antiviral factor against infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). IFIX binds viral DNA upon infection and promotes expression of antiviral cytokines. How IFIX exerts its host defense functions and whether it is inhibited by the virus remain unknown. Here, we integrated live cell microscopy, proteomics, IFIX domain characterization, and molecular virology to investigate IFIX regulation and antiviral functions during HSV-1 infection. We find that IFIX has a dynamic localization during infection that changes from diffuse nuclear and nucleoli distribution in uninfected cells to discrete nuclear puncta early in infection. This is rapidly followed by a reduction in IFIX protein levels. Indeed, using immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry, we define IFIX interactions during HSV-1 infection, finding an association with a proteasome subunit and proteins involved in ubiquitin-proteasome processes. Using synchronized HSV-1 infection, microscopy, and proteasome-inhibition experiments, we demonstrate that IFIX co-localizes with nuclear proteasome puncta shortly after 3 h of infection and that its pyrin domain is rapidly degraded in a proteasome-dependent manner. We further demonstrate that, in contrast to several other host defense factors, IFIX degradation is not dependent on the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of the viral protein ICP0. However, we show IFIX degradation requires immediate-early viral gene expression, suggesting a viral host suppression mechanism. The IFIX interactome also demonstrated its association with transcriptional regulatory proteins, including the 5FMC complex. We validate this interaction using microscopy and reciprocal isolations and determine it is mediated by the IFIX HIN domain. Finally, we show IFIX suppresses immediate-early and early viral gene expression during infection. Altogether, our study demonstrates that IFIX antiviral functions work in part via viral transcriptional suppression and that HSV-1 has acquired mechanisms to block its functions via proteasome-dependent degradation.

CTCF interacts with the lytic HSV-1 genome to promote viral transcription

CTCF is an essential chromatin regulator implicated in important nuclear processes including in nuclear organization and transcription. Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) is a ubiquitous human pathogen, which enters productive infection in human epithelial and many other cell types. CTCF is known to bind several sites in the HSV-1 genome during latency and reactivation, but its function has not been defined. Here, we report that CTCF interacts extensively with the HSV-1 DNA during lytic infection by ChIP-seq, and its knockdown results in the reduction of viral transcription, viral genome copy number and virus yield. CTCF knockdown led to increased H3K9me3 and H3K27me3, and a reduction of RNA pol II occupancy on viral genes. Importantly, ChIP-seq analysis revealed that there is a higher level of CTD Ser2P modified RNA Pol II near CTCF peaks relative to the Ser5P form in the viral genome. Consistent with this, CTCF knockdown reduced the Ser2P but increased Ser5P modified forms of RNA Pol II on viral genes. These results suggest that CTCF promotes HSV-1 lytic transcription by facilitating the elongation of RNA Pol II and preventing silenced chromatin on the viral genome.

Serine/Arginine-rich Splicing Factor 2 Modulates Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Replication via Regulating Viral Gene Transcriptional Activity and Pre-mRNA Splicing

Once it enters the host cell, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) recruits a series of host cell factors to facilitate its life cycle. Here, we demonstrate that serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 2 (SRSF2), which is an important component of the splicing speckle, mediates HSV-1 replication by regulating viral gene expression at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Our results indicate that SRSF2 functions as a transcriptional activator by directly binding to infected cell polypeptide 0 (ICP0), infected cell polypeptide 27 (ICP27), and thymidine kinase promoters. Moreover, SRSF2 participates in ICP0 pre-mRNA splicing by recognizing binding sites in ICP0 exon 3. These findings provide insight into the functions of SRSF2 in HSV-1 replication and gene expression.

Herpes simplex virus ICP27 regulates alternative pre-mRNA polyadenylation and splicing in a sequence-dependent manner

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) infected cell culture polypeptide 27 (ICP27) protein is essential for virus infection of cells. Recent studies suggested that ICP27 inhibits splicing in a gene-specific manner via an unknown mechanism. Here, RNA-sequencing revealed that ICP27 not only inhibits splicing of certain introns in <1% of cellular genes, but also can promote use of alternative 5' splice sites. In addition, ICP27 induced expression of pre-mRNAs prematurely cleaved and polyadenylated from cryptic polyadenylation signals (PAS) located in intron 1 or 2 of ∼1% of cellular genes. These previously undescribed prematurely cleaved and polyadenylated pre-mRNAs, some of which contain novel ORFs, were typically intronless, <2 Kb in length, expressed early during viral infection, and efficiently exported to cytoplasm. Sequence analysis revealed that ICP27-targeted genes are GC-rich (as are HSV genes), contain cytosine-rich sequences near the 5' splice site, and have suboptimal splice sites in the impacted intron, suggesting that a common mechanism is shared between ICP27-mediated alternative polyadenylation and splicing. Optimization of splice site sequences or mutation of nearby cytosines eliminated ICP27-mediated splicing inhibition, and introduction of C-rich sequences to an ICP27-insensitive splicing reporter conferred this phenotype, supporting the inference that specific gene sequences confer susceptibility to ICP27. Although HSV is the first virus and ICP27 is the first viral protein shown to activate cryptic PASs in introns, we suspect that other viruses and cellular genes also encode this function.

Shutoff of Host Gene Expression in Influenza A Virus and Herpesviruses: Similar Mechanisms and Common Themes

The ability to shut off host gene expression is a shared feature of many viral infections, and it is thought to promote viral replication by freeing host cell machinery and blocking immune responses. Despite the molecular differences between viruses, an emerging theme in the study of host shutoff is that divergent viruses use similar mechanisms to enact host shutoff. Moreover, even viruses that encode few proteins often have multiple mechanisms to affect host gene expression, and we are only starting to understand how these mechanisms are integrated. In this review we discuss the multiplicity of host shutoff mechanisms used by the orthomyxovirus influenza A virus and members of the alpha- and gamma-herpesvirus subfamilies. We highlight the surprising similarities in their mechanisms of host shutoff and discuss how the different mechanisms they use may play a coordinated role in gene regulation.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus ORF4b protein inhibits type I interferon production through both cytoplasmic and nuclear targets

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a novel and highly pathogenic human coronavirus and has quickly spread to other countries in the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and Asia since 2012. Previous studies have shown that MERS-CoV ORF4b antagonizes the early antiviral alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) response, which may significantly contribute to MERS-CoV pathogenesis; however, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we found that ORF4b in the cytoplasm could specifically bind to TANK binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and IκB kinase epsilon (IKKε), suppress the molecular interaction between mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) and IKKε, and inhibit IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) phosphorylation and subsequent IFN-β production. Further analysis showed that ORF4b could also inhibit IRF3 and IRF7-induced production of IFN-β, whereas deletion of the nuclear localization signal of ORF4b abrogated its ability to inhibit IRF3 and IRF7-induced production of IFN-β, but not IFN-β production induced by RIG-I, MDA5, MAVS, IKKε, and TBK-1, suggesting that ORF4b could inhibit the induction of IFN-β in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. Collectively, these results indicate that MERS-CoV ORF4b inhibits the induction of type I IFN through a direct interaction with IKKε/TBK1 in the cytoplasm, and also in the nucleus with unknown mechanism. Viruses have evolved multiple strategies to evade or thwart a host's antiviral responses. A novel human coronavirus (HCoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), is distinguished from other coronaviruses by its high pathogenicity and mortality. However, virulence determinants that distinguish MERS-CoV from other HCoVs have yet to be identified. MERS-CoV ORF4b antagonizes the early antiviral response, which may contribute to MERS-CoV pathogenesis. Here, we report the identification of the interferon (IFN) antagonism mechanism of MERS-CoV ORF4b. MERS-CoV ORF4b inhibits the production of type I IFN through a direct interaction with IKKε/TBK1 in the cytoplasm, and also in the nucleus with unknown mechanism. These findings provide a rationale for the novel pathogenesis of MERS-CoV as well as a basis for developing a candidate therapeutic against this virus.

Duck enteritis virus UL54 is an IE protein primarily located in the nucleus

Background

The UL54 protein of Duck Enteritis Virus (DEV) is a homolog of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) immediate-early infectious cell protein 27 (ICP27), a multifunctional protein essential for viral infection. Nonetheless, there is little information on the UL54 protein of DEV.

Methods

The UL54 gene was cloned into the pPAL7 vector, and the recombinant protein, expressed in the E. coli Rosetta, was used to produce a specific antibody. Using this antibody, Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence analysis (IFA) were used to analyze the expression level and intracellular localization, respectively, of UL54 in DEV-infected cells at different times. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and the pharmacological inhibition test were utilized to ascertain the kinetic class of the UL54 gene.

Results

UL54 was expressed as a fusion protein of approximately 66.0 kDa using the prokaryotic expression system, and this protein was used to generate the specific anti-UL54 antibody. The UL54 protein was initially diffusely distributed throughout the cytoplasmic region; then, after 2 h, it gradually distributed into the nucleus, peaking at 24 h, and complete localization to the nucleus was observed thereafter. The UL54 transcript was detected as early as 0.5 h, and peak expression was observed at 24 h. The UL54 gene was insensitive to the DNA polymerase inhibitor Ganciclovir (GCV) and the protein synthesis inhibitor Cycloheximide (CHX), both of which confirmed that UL54 was an immediate early gene.

Conclusions

The DEV UL54 gene was expressed in a prokaryotic expression system and characterized for expression level, intracellular localization and gene kinetic class. We propose that these results will provide the foundation for further functional analyses of this gene.

Hsp70 Isoforms Are Essential for the Formation of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Replication and Transcription Compartments

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic herpesvirus associated with various AIDS-related malignancies. Like other herpesviruses, multiple processes required for KSHV lytic replication, including viral transcription, viral DNA synthesis and capsid assembly occur in virus-induced intranuclear structures, termed replication and transcription compartments (RTCs). Here we utilised a novel methodology, combining subcellular fractionation and quantitative proteomics, to identify cellular proteins which are recruited to KSHV-induced RTCs and thus play a key role in KSHV lytic replication. We show that several isoforms of the HSP70 chaperone family, Hsc70 and iHsp70, are redistributed from the cytoplasm into the nucleus coinciding with the initial formation of KSHV-induced RTCs. We demonstrate that nuclear chaperone foci are dynamic, initially forming adjacent to newly formed KSHV RTCs, however during later time points the chaperones move within KSHV RTCs and completely co-localise with actively replicating viral DNA. The functional significance of Hsp70 isoforms recruitment into KSHV RTCs was also examined using the specific Hsp70 isoform small molecule inhibitor, VER-155008. Intriguingly, results highlight an essential role of Hsp70 isoforms in the KSHV replication cycle independent of protein stability and maturation. Notably, inhibition of Hsp70 isoforms precluded KSHV RTC formation and RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) relocalisation to the viral genome leading to the abolishment of global KSHV transcription and subsequent viral protein synthesis and DNA replication. These new findings have revealed novel mechanisms that regulate KSHV lytic replication and highlight the potential of HSP70 inhibitors as novel antiviral agents.

The structure of the folded domain from the signature multifunctional protein ICP27 from herpes simplex virus-1 reveals an intertwined dimer

Herpesviruses cause life-long infections by evading the host immune system and establishing latent infections. All mammalian herpesviruses express an essential multifunctional protein that is typified by ICP27 encoded by Herpes Simplex Virus 1. The only region that is conserved among the diverse members of the ICP27 family is a predicted globular domain that has been termed the ICP27 homology domain. Here we present the first crystal structure of the ICP27 homology domain, solved to 1.9 Å resolution. The protein is a homo-dimer, adopting a novel intertwined fold with one CHCC zinc-binding site per monomer. The dimerization, which was independently confirmed by SEC-MALS and AUC, is stabilized by an extensive network of intermolecular contacts, and a domain-swap involving the two N-terminal helices and C-terminal tails. Each monomer contains a lid motif that can clamp the C-terminal tail of its dimeric binding partner against its globular core, without forming any distinct secondary structure elements. The binding interface was probed with point mutations, none of which had a noticeable effect on dimer formation; however deletion of the C-terminal tail region prevented dimer formation in vivo. The structure provides a template for future biochemical studies and modelling of ICP27 homologs from other herpesviruses.

Widespread disruption of host transcription termination in HSV-1 infection

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is an important human pathogen and a paradigm for virus-induced host shut-off. Here we show that global changes in transcription and RNA processing and their impact on translation can be analysed in a single experimental setting by applying 4sU-tagging of newly transcribed RNA and ribosome profiling to lytic HSV-1 infection. Unexpectedly, we find that HSV-1 triggers the disruption of transcription termination of cellular, but not viral, genes. This results in extensive transcription for tens of thousands of nucleotides beyond poly(A) sites and into downstream genes, leading to novel intergenic splicing between exons of neighbouring cellular genes. As a consequence, hundreds of cellular genes seem to be transcriptionally induced but are not translated. In contrast to previous reports, we show that HSV-1 does not inhibit co-transcriptional splicing. Our approach thus substantially advances our understanding of HSV-1 biology and establishes HSV-1 as a model system for studying transcription termination.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) efficiently shuts down host gene expression in infected cells. Here Rutkowski et al. analyse the genome-wide changes in transcription and translation in infected cells, and show that HSV-1 triggers an extensive disruption of transcription termination of cellular genes.

Selective recruitment of host factors by HSV-1 replication centers

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) enters productive infection after infecting epithelial cells, where it controls the host nucleus to make viral proteins, starts viral DNA synthesis and assembles infectious virions. In this process, replicating viral genomes are organized into replication centers to facilitate viral growth. HSV-1 is known to use host factors, including host chromatin and host transcription regulators, to transcribe its genes; however, the invading virus also encounters host defense and stress responses to inhibit viral growth. Recently, we found that HSV-1 replication centers recruit host factor CTCF but exclude γH2A.X. Thus, HSV-1 replication centers may selectively recruit cellular factors needed for viral growth, while excluding host factors that are deleterious for viral transcription or replication. Here we report that the viral replication centers selectively excluded modified histone H3, including heterochromatin mark H3K9me3, H3S10P and active chromatin mark H3K4me3, but not unmodified H3. We found a dynamic association between the viral replication centers and host RNA polymerase II. The centers also recruited components of the DNA damage response pathway, including 53BP1, BRCA1 and host antiviral protein SP100. Importantly, we found that ATM kinase was needed for the recruitment of CTCF to the viral centers. These results suggest that the HSV-1 replication centers took advantage of host signaling pathways to actively recruit or exclude host factors to benefit viral growth.

KSHV ORF57, a protein of many faces

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORF57 protein (also known as mRNA transcript accumulation (Mta)) is a potent posttranscriptional regulator essential for the efficient expression of KSHV lytic genes and productive KSHV replication. ORF57 possesses numerous activities that promote the expression of viral genes, including the three major functions of enhancement of RNA stability, promotion of RNA splicing, and stimulation of protein translation. The multifunctional nature of ORF57 is driven by its ability to interact with an array of cellular cofactors. These interactions are required for the formation of ORF57-containing ribonucleoprotein complexes at specific binding sites in the target transcripts, referred as Mta-responsive elements (MREs). Understanding of the ORF57 protein conformation has led to the identification of two structurally-distinct domains within the ORF57 polypeptide: an unstructured intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain and a structured α-helix-rich C-terminal domain. The distinct structures of the domains serve as the foundation for their unique binding affinities: the N-terminal domain mediates ORF57 interactions with cellular cofactors and target RNAs, and the C-terminal domain mediates ORF57 homodimerization. In addition, each domain has been found to contribute to the stability of ORF57 protein in infected cells by counteracting caspase- and proteasome-mediated degradation pathways. Together, these new findings provide insight into the function and biological properties of ORF57 in the KSHV life cycle and pathogenesis.

Human cytomegalovirus pUL79 is an elongation factor of RNA polymerase II for viral gene transcription

In this study, we have identified a unique mechanism in which human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protein pUL79 acts as an elongation factor to direct cellular RNA polymerase II for viral transcription during late times of infection. We and others previously reported that pUL79 and its homologues are required for viral transcript accumulation after viral DNA synthesis. We hypothesized that pUL79 represented a unique mechanism to regulate viral transcription at late times during HCMV infection. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the proteome associated with pUL79 during virus infection by mass spectrometry. We identified both cellular transcriptional factors, including multiple RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) subunits, and novel viral transactivators, including pUL87 and pUL95, as protein binding partners of pUL79. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) followed by immunoblot analysis confirmed the pUL79-RNAP II interaction, and this interaction was independent of any other viral proteins. Using a recombinant HCMV virus where pUL79 protein is conditionally regulated by a protein destabilization domain ddFKBP, we showed that this interaction did not alter the total levels of RNAP II or its recruitment to viral late promoters. Furthermore, pUL79 did not alter the phosphorylation profiles of the RNAP II C-terminal domain, which was critical for transcriptional regulation. Rather, a nuclear run-on assay indicated that, in the absence of pUL79, RNAP II failed to elongate and stalled on the viral DNA. pUL79-dependent RNAP II elongation was required for transcription from all three kinetic classes of viral genes (i.e. immediate-early, early, and late) at late times during virus infection. In contrast, host gene transcription during HCMV infection was independent of pUL79. In summary, we have identified a novel viral mechanism by which pUL79, and potentially other viral factors, regulates the rate of RNAP II transcription machinery on viral transcription during late stages of HCMV infection.

In this study, we report a novel mechanism used by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) to regulate the elongation rate of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) to facilitate viral transcription during late stages of infection. Recently, we and others have identified several viral factors that regulate gene expression during late infection. These factors are functionally conserved among beta- and gamma- herpesviruses, suggesting a unique transcriptional regulation shared by viruses of these two subfamilies. However, the mechanism remains elusive. Here we show that HCMV pUL79, one of these factors, interacts with RNAP II as well as other viral factors involved in late gene expression. We have started to elucidate the nature of the pUL79-RNAP II interaction, finding that pUL79 does not alter the protein levels of RNAP II or its recruitment to viral promoters. However, during late times of infection, pUL79 helps RNAP II efficiently elongate along the viral DNA template to transcribe HCMV genes. Host genes are not regulated by this pUL79-mediated mechanism. Therefore, our study discovers a previously uncharacterized mechanism where RNAP II activity is modulated by viral factor pUL79, and potentially other viral factors as well, for coordinated viral transcription.

Inhibition of cdk9 during herpes simplex virus 1 infection impedes viral transcription

During herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection there is a loss of the serine-2 phosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) found in elongation complexes. This occurs in part because RNAP II undergoes ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation during times of highly active viral transcription, which may result from stalled elongating complexes. In addition, a viral protein, ICP22, was reported to trigger a loss of serine-2 RNAP II. These findings have led to some speculation that the serine-2 phosphorylated form of RNAP II may not be required for HSV-1 transcription, although this form is required for cellular transcription elongation and RNA processing. Cellular kinase cdk9 phosphorylates serine-2 in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNAP II. To determine if serine-2 phosphorylated RNAP II is required for HSV-1 transcription, we inhibited cdk9 during HSV-1 infection and measured viral gene expression. Inhibition was achieved by adding cdk9 inhibitors 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazone-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (DRB) or flavopiridol (FVP) or by expression of a dominant–negative cdk9 or HEXIM1, which in conjunction with 7SK snRNA inhibits cdk9 in complex with cyclin 1. Here we report that inhibition of cdk9 resulted in decreased viral yields and levels of late proteins, poor formation of viral transcription-replication compartments, reduced levels of poly(A)+ mRNA and decreased RNA synthesis as measured by uptake of 5-bromouridine into nascent RNA. Importantly, a global reduction in viral mRNAs was seen as determined by microarray analysis. We conclude that serine-2 phosphorylation of the CTD of RNAP II is required for HSV-1 transcription.

HSV-1 ICP22: hijacking host nuclear functions to enhance viral infection

During its productive infection, HSV-1 dramatically remodels the architecture and physiology of the host cell nucleus. The immediate-early proteins, the first viral proteins to be expressed during infection, are key players in this process. Here, we review the known properties and functions of immediate-early protein ICP22. Although this polypeptide has received less attention than other immediate-early proteins, the published evidence indicates that it mediates several striking changes to important host nuclear systems, including those involved in RNA polymerase II transcription, cell cycle regulation and protein quality control. Recent genetic analyses suggest that these alterations can promote HSV-1 productive infection. Thus, future work on ICP22 is likely to reveal novel mechanisms by which herpesviruses, and possibly other DNA viruses, manipulate the host cell nucleus to enhance their replication.

Deregulations in the cyclin-dependent kinase-9-related pathway in cancer: implications for drug discovery and development

The CDK9-related pathway is an important regulator of mammalian cell biology and is also involved in the replication cycle of several viruses, including the human immunodeficiency virus type 1. CDK9 is present in two isoforms termed CDK9-42 and CDK9-55 that bind noncovalently type T cyclins and cyclin K. This association forms a heterodimer, where CDK9 carries the enzymatic site and the cyclin partner functions as a regulatory subunit. This heterodimer is the main component of the positive transcription elongation factor b, which stabilizes RNA elongation via phosphorylation of the RNA pol II carboxyl terminal domain. Abnormal activities in the CDK9-related pathway were observed in human malignancies and cardiac hypertrophies. Thus, the elucidation of the CDK9 pathway deregulations may provide useful insights into the pathogenesis and progression of human malignancies, cardiac hypertrophy, AIDS and other viral-related maladies. These studies may lead to the improvement of kinase inhibitors for the treatment of the previously mentioned pathological conditions. This review describes the CDK9-related pathway deregulations in malignancies and the development of kinase inhibitors in cancer therapy, which can be classified into three categories: antagonists that block the ATP binding site of the catalytic domain, allosteric inhibitors, and small molecules that disrupt protein-protein interactions.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation and microarray analysis suggest functional cooperation between Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus ORF57 and K-bZIP

The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) open reading frame 57 (ORF57)-encoded protein (Mta) is a multifunctional regulator of viral gene expression. ORF57 is essential for viral replication, so elucidation of its molecular mechanisms is important for understanding KSHV infection. ORF57 has been implicated in nearly every aspect of viral gene expression, including transcription, RNA stability, splicing, export, and translation. Here we demonstrate that ORF57 interacts with the KSHV K-bZIP protein in vitro and in cell extracts from lytically reactivated infected cells. To further test the biological relevance of the interaction, we performed a chromatin immunoprecipitation and microarray (ChIP-chip) analysis using anti-ORF57 antibodies and a KSHV tiling array. The results revealed four specific areas of enrichment, including the ORF4 and K8 (K-bZIP) promoters, as well as oriLyt, all of which interact with K-bZIP. In addition, ORF57 associated with DNA corresponding to the PAN RNA transcribed region, a known posttranscriptional target of ORF57. All of the peaks were RNase insensitive, demonstrating that ORF57 association with the viral genome is unlikely to be mediated exclusively by an RNA tether. Our data demonstrate that ORF57 associates with the viral genome by using at least two modes of recruitment, and they suggest that ORF57 and K-bZIP coregulate viral gene expression during lytic infection.