Journal of Virology, June 2009, p. 5295, Vol. 83, No. 11
0022-538X/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JVI.00719-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
| SPOTLIGHT |
Articles of Significant Interest Selected from This Issue by the Editors
Virology in the 21st CenturyVirology remains at the center of science, agriculture, and medicine, providing some of our greatest challenges and triumphs. In this essay, the editors of the Journal of Virology (p. 5296-5308) review the phenomenal impact of virology on biological discovery. They then take out the crystal ball and discuss the general forces driving the future of our discipline: technology development, public health, information processing, and, importantly, personal curiosity. One take-home message is clear: we must continue to give imagination and serendipity a chance in order to ensure maximal scientific return.
A Conserved Endoribonuclease among Nidovirus Replicative Enzymes
The replication/transcription complexes of nidoviruses (such as arteriviruses and coronavirus) include multiple enzymatic activities directing the synthesis of viral genomic and subgenomic RNAs. Coronavirus nonstructural protein nsp15 is an endoribonuclease (NendoU). Nedialkova et al. (p. 5671-5682) showed that this remarkable RNA processing activity is shared by its arterivirus ortholog, nsp11 and is thus conserved across the nidovirus order. Biochemical characterization of nsp11 from two arteriviruses revealed distinct features of the arterivirus NendoU in addition to enzymatic properties shared by the distantly related severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus endoribonuclease.
Golgi Apparatus-Localized Determinant of Human Cytomegalovirus Latency
Mechanisms required for the latent program of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are poorly understood. Petrucelli et al. (p. 5615-5629) characterized the gene products derived from the UL138 ORF encoded within a region of the genome unique to clinical HCMV strains. UL138 is the first viral gene demonstrated to function in latent infection. UL138 encodes a 21-kDa type 1 transmembrane protein localized in the Golgi apparatus. Since UL138 is not a virion structural protein, its de novo synthesis in infected cells is required for the promotion of latency. These findings implicate Golgi apparatus functions in the HCMV latency program.
Type I Interferon Exerts Early Control over H5N1 Virus Infection in Mice
Highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses continue to pose a threat to human health. Although the pathogenic mechanisms of H5N1 viruses have not been fully elucidated, evasion of the host innate response is proposed to contribute to their virulence in mammals. Szretter et al. (p. 5825-5834) used a murine model to demonstrate that type I interferon signaling provides early control of H5N1 virus replication and systemic spread, significantly delaying the disease process. These results indicate that even highly virulent H5N1 viruses are sensitive to the antiviral effects of interferon and suggest a possible treatment option for the control of H5N1 virus infections.
New Cell-Based Screen for Anti-Polyomavirus Chemicals
Infections by the human polyomaviruses, BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV), cause serious disease in immunocompromised individuals. Antiviral therapeutics for these viruses are not available. Goodwin et al. (p. 5630-5639) developed a high-throughput screen for chemicals that inhibit a simian virus 40 (SV40)-based viral vector to repress the human papillomavirus E7 gene in HeLa cells and block their proliferation. Two chemicals were identified that inhibit an early step in infections with SV40, BKV, and JCV. This work describes a new approach to identify lead antiviral compounds against these important human pathogens.
Journal of Virology, June 2009, p. 5295, Vol. 83, No. 11
0022-538X/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JVI.00719-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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