title: Zinc finger antiviral protein inhibits murine gammaherpesvirus 68 M2 expression and regulates viral latency in cultured cells.
abstract: Zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) is a host factor that specifically inhibits the replication of certain viruses by binding to specific viral mRNAs and repressing mRNA expression. Here we report that ZAP inhibits expression of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) M2, which plays important roles in establishment and maintenance of viral latency. Downregulation of endogenous ZAP in cells harboring latent MHV-68 promoted lytic replication of the virus. These results suggest that ZAP inhibits M2 expression and regulates the maintenance of MHV-68 latency.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaogang District, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yifang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Guangxia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D015536:Down-Regulation; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000378:metabolism*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017735:Virus Latency; D014779:Virus Replication; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; C577263:M2 protein, murine gammaherpesvirus 68; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C577264:ZAP antiviral protein, mouse; C527496:ZC3HAV1 protein, human