title: Epigenetic control of cytomegalovirus latency and reactivation.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) gene expression is repressed in latency due to heterochromatinization of viral genomes. In murine CMV (MCMV) latently infected mice, viral genomes are bound to histones with heterochromatic modifications, to enzymes that mediate these modifications, and to adaptor proteins that may recruit co-repressor complexes. Kinetic analyses of repressor binding show that these repressors are recruited at the earliest time of infection, suggesting that latency may be the default state. Kidney transplantation leads to epigenetic reprogramming of latent viral chromatin and reactivation of immediate early gene expression. Inflammatory signaling pathways, which activate transcription factors that regulate the major immediate early promoter (MIEP), likely mediate the switch in viral chromatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA. xue-liu@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Xue-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xueqiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shixian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abecassis
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hummel
mesh_terms: D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D014775:Virus Activation; D017735:Virus Latency