How Viral Enzymes Seize Control of Host Genes

Researchers have identified a viral mechanism that suppresses expression of host genes and coordinates production of viral proteins. They speculate that this mechanism could be adapted for gene therapy for a variety of human illnesses.

Investigators at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY, USA) worked with a virus called PBCV-1 (Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus-1). They were interested in determining whether the virus was able to modify host histones directly to interfere with chromatin-based transcription.

They reported in the August 17, 2008, online edition of the journal Nature Cell Biology that the virus particle contained a methyltransferase enzyme that was packaged with a nuclear localization signal in a complex called vSET. Furthermore, vSET was found to repress gene transcription by direct modification of chromatin.

The investigators speculated that the vSET system could be adapted for use in gene therapy for human diseases. Senior author Dr. Ming-Ming Zhou, professor of structural and chemical biology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said, "By being able to silence certain genes, we may be able to suppress genes that can cause diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, inflammation, and diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems. We now know we can focus on these genes and potentially change the ultimate course of many diseases that have a major impact on people's lives.”

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