» Articles » PMID: 22109557

High-resolution Human Cytomegalovirus Transcriptome

Overview
Specialty Science
Date 2011 Nov 24
PMID 22109557
Citations 155
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Deep sequencing was used to bring high resolution to the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) transcriptome at the stage when infectious virion production is under way, and major findings were confirmed by extensive experimentation using conventional techniques. The majority (65.1%) of polyadenylated viral RNA transcription is committed to producing four noncoding transcripts (RNA2.7, RNA1.2, RNA4.9, and RNA5.0) that do not substantially overlap designated protein-coding regions. Additional noncoding RNAs that are transcribed antisense to protein-coding regions map throughout the genome and account for 8.7% of transcription from these regions. RNA splicing is more common than recognized previously, which was evidenced by the identification of 229 potential donor and 132 acceptor sites, and it affects 58 protein-coding genes. The great majority (94) of 96 splice junctions most abundantly represented in the deep-sequencing data was confirmed by RT-PCR or RACE or supported by involvement in alternative splicing. Alternative splicing is frequent and particularly evident in four genes (RL8A, UL74A, UL124, and UL150A) that are transcribed by splicing from any one of many upstream exons. The analysis also resulted in the annotation of four previously unrecognized protein-coding regions (RL8A, RL9A, UL150A, and US33A), and expression of the UL150A protein was shown in the context of HCMV infection. The overall conclusion, that HCMV transcription is complex and multifaceted, has implications for the potential sophistication of virus functionality during infection. The study also illustrates the key contribution that deep sequencing can make to the genomics of nuclear DNA viruses.

Citing Articles

Characterization of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Long Non-Coding RNA1.2 During Lytic Replication.

Manska S, Hagemann A, Magana J, Rossetto C, Verma S Viruses. 2025; 17(2).

PMID: 40006904 PMC: 11860937. DOI: 10.3390/v17020149.


Cytomegalovirus Biology Viewed Through a Cell Death Suppression Lens.

Mocarski E Viruses. 2025; 16(12.

PMID: 39772130 PMC: 11680106. DOI: 10.3390/v16121820.


Human cytomegalovirus RNA2.7 inhibits ferroptosis by upregulating ferritin and GSH via promoting ZNF395 degradation.

Xu M, Ruan S, Sun J, Li J, Chen D, Ma Y PLoS Pathog. 2024; 20(12):e1012815.

PMID: 39724092 PMC: 11709246. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012815.


HPV and HCMV in Cervical Cancer: A Review of Their Co-Occurrence in Premalignant and Malignant Lesions.

Blanco R, Munoz J Viruses. 2024; 16(11).

PMID: 39599814 PMC: 11599080. DOI: 10.3390/v16111699.


Cellular Transformation by Human Cytomegalovirus.

Herbein G Cancers (Basel). 2024; 16(11).

PMID: 38893091 PMC: 11171319. DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111970.


References
1.
Davis M, Huang E . Nucleotide sequence of a human cytomegalovirus DNA fragment encoding a 67-kilodalton phosphorylated viral protein. J Virol. 1985; 56(1):7-11. PMC: 252460. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.56.1.7-11.1985. View

2.
Kouzarides T, Bankier A, Satchwell S, Preddy E, Barrell B . An immediate early gene of human cytomegalovirus encodes a potential membrane glycoprotein. Virology. 1988; 165(1):151-64. DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(88)90668-x. View

3.
Greenaway P, Wilkinson G . Nucleotide sequence of the most abundantly transcribed early gene of human cytomegalovirus strain AD169. Virus Res. 1987; 7(1):17-31. DOI: 10.1016/0168-1702(87)90055-4. View

4.
WESTON K . An enhancer element in the short unique region of human cytomegalovirus regulates the production of a group of abundant immediate early transcripts. Virology. 1988; 162(2):406-16. DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(88)90481-3. View

5.
Akrigg A, Wilkinson G, ORAM J . The structure of the major immediate early gene of human cytomegalovirus strain AD169. Virus Res. 1985; 2(2):107-21. DOI: 10.1016/0168-1702(85)90242-4. View