title: MicroRNAs in large herpesvirus DNA genomes: recent advances.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that regulate gene expression. They alter mRNA translation through base-pair complementarity, leading to regulation of genes during both physiological and pathological processes. Viruses have evolved mechanisms to take advantage of the host cells to multiply and/or persist over the lifetime of the host. Herpesviridae are a large family of double-stranded DNA viruses that are associated with a number of important diseases, including lymphoproliferative diseases. Herpesviruses establish lifelong latent infections through modulation of the interface between the virus and its host. A number of reports have identified miRNAs in a very large number of human and animal herpesviruses suggesting that these short non-coding transcripts could play essential roles in herpesvirus biology. This review will specifically focus on the recent advances on the functions of herpesvirus miRNAs in infection and pathogenesis.
authors.forename: Océane
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sorel
authors.forename: Benjamin G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Dewals
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012367:RNA, Viral