Vaccinia virus infection suppresses the cell microRNA machinery.
MicroRNAs are key players in the regulation of gene expression by posttranscriptional suppression. They are involved in physiological processes, and thus their deregulation may contribute to the development of diseases and progression of cancer. Virus-encoded microRNAs and microRNAs of host origin play an important role in controlling the virus life cycle and immunity. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of vaccinia virus (VACV) infection on the expression of host-encoded microRNAs. A marked general suppression of most microRNAs in the infected cells was observed within 24 hours after VACV infection of a number of cell types. We demonstrate that this suppression was associated with abrogation of expression of the Dicer1 enzyme, which is a key enzyme in the generation of microRNAs.
Department of Virology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105 Beer Sheva, Israel.
Moran
M
Grinberg
Shlomit
S
Gilad
Eti
E
Meiri
Asaf
A
Levy
Ofer
O
Isakov
Roy
R
Ronen
Noam
N
Shomron
Zvi
Z
Bentwich
Yonat
Y
Shemer-Avni
D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006367:HeLa Cells; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*
D035683:MicroRNAs; C408087:DICER1 protein, human; D043244:Ribonuclease III; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases