cytomegalovirus
GemThe Transcriptome of Latent Human CytomegalovirusThe latent human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) transcriptome has been extremely difficult to define due to the scarcity of naturally latent cells and the complexity of available models. The genomic era offers many approaches to transcriptome profiling that hold great potential for elucidating this challenging issue.
Virus-Cell InteractionsThe N Terminus of Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein O Is Important for Binding to the Cellular Receptor PDGFRαThe human cytomegalovirus is a highly prevalent pathogen that can cause severe disease in immunocompromised hosts. Currently used drugs successfully target the viral replication within the host cell, but their use is restricted due to side effects and the development of resistance. An alternative approach is the inhibition of virus entry, for which understanding the details of the initial virus-cell interaction is desirable. As binding...
Virus-Cell Interactions | SpotlightThe IκB Kinases Restrict Human Cytomegalovirus InfectionInnate immune signaling is a critical defense against viral infection and represents a central host-virus interaction that frequently determines the outcomes of infections. NF-κB signaling is an essential component of innate immunity that is extensively modulated by HCMV, a significant cause of morbidity in neonates and immunosuppressed individuals. However, the roles that various facets of NF-κB signaling play during HCMV infection...
Virus-Cell InteractionsA Noncanonical Function of Polycomb Repressive Complexes Promotes Human Cytomegalovirus Lytic DNA Replication and Serves as a Novel Cellular Target for Antiviral InterventionPolycomb group (PcG) proteins are primarily known as transcriptional repressors that modify chromatin and contribute to the establishment and maintenance of cell fates. Furthermore, emerging evidence indicates that overexpression of PcG proteins in various types of cancers contributes to the dysregulation of cellular proliferation. Consequently, several inhibitors targeting PcG proteins are presently undergoing preclinical and clinical...
Pathogenesis and ImmunityIdentification and Functional Characterization of a Novel Fc Gamma-Binding Glycoprotein in Rhesus CytomegalovirusRhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) offers a unique model for studying human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pathogenesis and vaccine development. RhCMV infection of nonhuman primates greatly broadened the understanding of mechanisms by which CMVs evade or reprogram T cell and natural killer cell responses in vivo. However, the role of humoral immunity and viral modulation of anti-CMV antibodies has not been studied in this model. There is...
Virus-Cell InteractionsDevelopment of a Primary Human Cell Model for the Study of Human Cytomegalovirus Replication and Spread within Salivary EpitheliumHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infects the majority of the world’s population, and although it typically establishes a quiescent infection with little to no disease in most individuals, the virus is responsible for a variety of devastating sequelae in immunocompromised adults and in developing fetuses. Therefore, identifying the viral properties essential for replication, spread, and horizontal transmission is an important area of medical...
Pathogenesis and ImmunityRestriction of Human Cytomegalovirus Infection by Galectin-9Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) continues to cause serious and often life-threatening disease in those with impaired or underdeveloped immune systems. This virus is able to infect and replicate in a wide range of human cell types, which enables the virus to spread to other individuals in a number of settings. Current antiviral drugs are associated with a significant toxicity profile, and there is no vaccine; these factors highlight a need...
Pathogenesis and Immunity | SpotlightMurine Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein O Promotes Epithelial Cell Infection In VivoHuman cytomegalovirus is a leading cause of congenital disease. This reflects its capacity for systemic spread. A vaccine is needed, but the best viral targets are unclear. Attention has focused on the virion membrane fusion complex. It has 2 forms, so we need to know what each contributes to host colonization. One includes the virion glycoprotein O. We used murine cytomegalovirus, which has equivalent fusion complexes, to determine the...
Structure and AssemblyDynamin Is Required for Efficient Cytomegalovirus Maturation and EnvelopmentViruses are known to exploit specific cellular functions at different stages of their life cycle in order to replicate, avoid immune recognition by the host and to establish a successful infection. Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected cells are characterized by a prominent cytoplasmic inclusion (virus assembly compartment [vAC]) that is the site of virus maturation and envelopment. While endocytic membranes are known to be the functional...
Virus-Cell InteractionsThe Abundant Tegument Protein pUL25 of Human Cytomegalovirus Prevents Proteasomal Degradation of pUL26 and Supports Its Suppression of ISGylationHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) expresses a number of tegument proteins that interfere with the intrinsic and the innate defense mechanisms of the cell. Initial induction of the interferon-stimulated gene 15 protein (ISG15) and conjugation of proteins with ISG15 (ISGylation) by HCMV infection are subsequently attenuated by the expression of the viral IE1, pUL50, and pUL26 proteins. This study adds pUL25 as another factor that contributes...