Epigenetic Regulation of Viral Biological Processes

Abstract

It is increasingly clear that DNA viruses exploit cellular epigenetic processes to control their life cycles during infection. This review will address epigenetic regulation in members of the polyomaviruses, adenoviruses, human papillomaviruses, hepatitis B, and herpes viruses. For each type of virus, what is known about the roles of DNA methylation, histone modifications, nucleosome positioning, and regulatory RNA in epigenetic regulation of the virus infection will be discussed. The mechanisms used by certain viruses to dysregulate the host cell through manipulation of epigenetic processes and the role of cellular cofactors such as BRD4 that are known to be involved in epigenetic regulation of host cell pathways will also be covered. Specifically, this review will focus on the role of epigenetic regulation in maintaining viral episomes through the generation of chromatin, temporally controlling transcription from viral genes during the course of an infection, regulating latency and the switch to a lytic infection, and global dysregulation of cellular function.

Intra-Nuclear Tensile Strain Mediates Reorganization of Epigenetically Marked Chromatin During Cardiac Development and Disease

“…5f), suggesting that LINC-associated nuclear mechanosensitive pathways do not regulate the expression of epigenetic mediators. Expression in non-infected control cells (NIC) was altered compared to infected control cells, indicating that adenovirus transfection affected the expression of epigenetic enzymes as previously reported 50 . In addition to epigenetic modifiers, decoupling also did not affect the expression of cardiac-specific transcription factors while structural cardiac markers were partially downregulated.…”

Directed Nucleosome Sliding in SV40 Minichromosomes During the Formation of the Virus Particle Exposes DNA Sequences Required for Early Transcription

“…The wild-type 776 and mutant cs1085 SV40 viruses used were gifts from Dr. Daniel Nathans. We have previously described in detail the conditions utilized for cell culture (3)…”

“…We have recently described in detail the procedures that we used for the preparation of minichromosomes (3). In brief, to prepare SV40 minichromosomes, sub-confluent monolayers of BSC-1 cells were infected with 50 PFU per cell of a working stock of SV40 virus originally prepared at low multiplicity of infection.…”

“…Simian Virus 40 (SV40), a member of the Polyomavirus family of DNA viruses, consists of a 5243 base-pair (bp) double-strand closed-circular genome (1). Like many double-strand DNA viruses, SV40 exists as chromatin with the usual assortment of histones and most of the epigenetic marks typical of eukaryotic chromatin when found within an infected cell (2, 3). However, unlike most DNA viruses, SV40 also exists with a typical chromatin structure when found within the virion (3).…”

“…Like many double-strand DNA viruses, SV40 exists as chromatin with the usual assortment of histones and most of the epigenetic marks typical of eukaryotic chromatin when found within an infected cell (2, 3). However, unlike most DNA viruses, SV40 also exists with a typical chromatin structure when found within the virion (3). The organization of SV40 DNA into chromatin throughout its life cycle raises the interesting possibility that epigenetics plays a critical role in the regulation of the various stages of the SV40 life cycle.…”