Control of nonsegmented negative-strand RNA virus replication by siRNA.
Our laboratory provided the first proof-of-concept that double-stranded short interfering RNA (ds-siRNA) can act as potent and specific antiviral agents. Designed against specific mRNAs of nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA (NNR) viruses, siRNAs abrogated expression of the corresponding viral proteins, and generated the predicted viral phenotypes. Knockdown was demonstrated across different genera: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a pneumovirus; vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a rhabdovirus; and human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), a paramyxovirus. The targeted genes could have a wide range of functions, thus documenting the versatility of the technique. Interestingly, antisense single-stranded siRNA (ss-siRNA) was also effective, albeit at a higher concentration. NNR viral genomic and antigenomic RNA, which are encapsidated by nucleocapsid protein and serve as templates for viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, were resistant to siRNA. Together, siRNAs offer complementary advantages over traditional mutational analyses that are difficult to perform in NNR viruses, and are also an important new tool to dissect host-virus interactive pathways.
Barik
Sailen
S
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 307 University Blvd., Mobile, AL 36688, USA. sbarik@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005814:Genes, Viral; D034622:RNA Interference; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018108:Respirovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering