Abstract
As our appreciation increases for the pervasive nature of transcription in the cell, so too has our appreciation for the major role of RNA decay/stability in regulating both the quantity and the quality of gene expression. As soon as viral RNAs appear in the cell, they must be prepared to combat or avoid cellular RNA decay pathways. This review describes the myriad ways that viruses deal with the general host RNA decay machinery that is active in the cell immediately upon viral infection—turning what, at first, appears to be very hostile territory for a foreign transcript into a sort of “promised land” for viral gene expression. It is interesting to note that cells likely try to adapt to this viral interference with the general RNA decay machinery by inducing a variety of novel RNases as part of a molecular arms race.
Highlights
As our appreciation increases for the pervasive nature of transcription in the cell, so too has our appreciation for the major role of RNA decay/stability in regulating both the quantity and the quality of gene expression
The cellular RNA decay machinery constantly monitors transcripts, from the time they are synthesized in the nucleus until the end of their lifespan in the cytoplasm
Misfolded, ‘‘mis’’-translated, and mispackaged mRNAs are quickly degraded in the cytoplasm
Summary
As our appreciation increases for the pervasive nature of transcription in the cell, so too has our appreciation for the major role of RNA decay/stability in regulating both the quantity and the quality of gene expression. When the transcripts of cytoplasmic viruses are generated, they must actively avoid or overcome the assault by these aggressive cellular mRNA decay complexes in order to be translated and effectively generate virions. It should be easy for the cellular RNA decay machinery to recognize these foreign transcripts—typical host mRNAs, for example, are assembled into characteristic ribonucleoprotein complexes in the nucleus, but the RNAs of cytoplasmic viruses never have this opportunity.
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