Five families of diverse DNA viruses comprehensively restructure the nucleus

Abstract

Many viruses have evolved ways to restructure their host cell’s nucleus profoundly and unexpectedly upon infection. In particular, DNA viruses that need to commandeer their host’s cellular synthetic functions to produce their progeny can induce the condensation and margination of host chromatin during productive infection, a phenomenon known as virus-induced reorganization of cellular chromatin (ROCC). These ROCC-inducing DNA viruses belong to 5 families (herpesviruses, baculoviruses, adenoviruses, parvoviruses, and geminiviruses) that infect a wide range of hosts and are important for human and ecosystem health, as well as for biotechnology. Although the study of virus-induced ROCC is in its infancy, investigations are already raising important questions, such as why only some DNA viruses that replicate their genomes in the nucleus elicit ROCC. Studying the shared and distinct properties of ROCC-inducing viruses will provide valuable insights into viral reorganization of host chromatin that could have implications for future therapies that target the viral life cycle.

Epstein-Barr virus reactivation induces divergent abortive, reprogrammed, and host shutoff states by lytic progression

“…Several aspects of the lytic cycle could conceivably contribute to host cell plasticity through reversing epigenetic repression of lineage-ectopic genes. As observed across several DNA virus families, EBV genome replication within intranuclear compartments induces dramatic reorganization of host chromatin 69,70,73,141 . Along with this alteration to nuclear architecture, Zta binding at accessible AP-1 recognition sequences 33 (particularly methylated sites 71,72 ) may reverse epigenetic silencing through supporting nucleosome eviction, enhancement of chromatin accessibility, and recruitment of transactivators to facilitate aberrant gene expression 43,44 .…”

“…Lytic replication of EBV (and DNA viruses from several other families 69 ) clearly constitutes a major reprogramming event for the host cell. Nuclear chromatin is globally disrupted by IE gene expression, the formation of viral replication compartments, and the accumulation of viral DNA 43,70 .…”