Ebola virus encodes a miR-155 analog to regulate importin-α5 expression.
The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus caused more than 10,000 human deaths. Current knowledge of suitable drugs, clinical diagnostic biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of Ebola virus infection is either absent or insufficient. By screening stem-loop structures from the viral genomes of four virulence species, we identified a novel, putative viral microRNA precursor that is specifically expressed by the Ebola virus. The sequence of the microRNA precursor was further confirmed by mining the existing RNA-Seq database. Two putative mature microRNAs were predicted and subsequently validated in human cell lines. Combined with this prediction of the microRNA target, we identified importin-α5, which is a key regulator of interferon signaling following Ebola virus infection, as one putative target. We speculate that this microRNA could facilitate the evasion of the host immune system by the virus. Moreover, this microRNA might be a potential clinical therapeutic target or a diagnostic biomarker for Ebola virus.
State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, 100193, Beijing, China.
Yuanwu
Y
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, 100193, Beijing, China.
Jing
J
Sun
Department of General Surgery, The 306th Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China.
Hongwen
H
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, 100193, Beijing, China.
Mingming
M
Wang
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
George Fu
GF
Gao
State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, 100193, Beijing, China. xiangdongli@cau.edu.cn.
Xiangdong
X
Li
D001483:Base Sequence; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D016679:Genome, Viral; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006367:HeLa Cells; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D028901:alpha Karyopherins / Q000378:metabolism*
C423142:KPNA1 protein, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D028901:alpha Karyopherins
Ebola virus; Host immune system; Interferon signal pathway; MicroRNA