title: Small creatures use small RNAs to direct antiviral defenses.
abstract: Antiviral RNA silencing has been recognized as an important defense mechanism in arthropods against RNA viruses. However, the role of this pathway in DNA virus infection remains largely unexplored. A report in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology provides new insight into the role of RNA silencing in antiviral defense against DNA viruses. Huang and Zhang [Eur. J. Immunol. 2013. 137-146] found that the dsDNA virus white spot syndrome virus, an agriculturally important pathogen of shrimp, is targeted by the shrimp RNA-silencing machinery via the production of virus-derived siRNAs. Furthermore, the authors show that the RNA-silencing pathway, and crucially, Dicer-2, is important for restricting viral infection. This study provides novel insights not only into shrimp antiviral defenses but also potentially into antiviral immunity against DNA viruses in a larger spectrum of hosts, as discussed in this Commentary. Furthermore, this study may contribute to the future development of immune-based therapeutics to combat viral pathogens, not only in aquaculture, but also in insect vectors of human diseases.
authors: Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
authors: Leah R
authors: LR
authors: Sabin
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Cherry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D046848:White spot syndrome virus 1 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C548473:VP28 protein, white spot syndrome virus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins