Marek’s disease virus-encoded microRNAs: genomics, expression and function  

作　　者：LUO Jun TENG Man FAN JianMing WANG FangYu ZHOU Ling DENG RuiGuang ZHANG GaiPing 

机构地区：[1]Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology of Ministry of Agriculture,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology,Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Zhengzhou 450002,China [2]Laboratory of Toxicology,College of Public Health,Zhengzhou University,Zhengzhou 450001,China

出　　处：《Science China(Life Sciences)》2010年第10期1174-1180,共7页中国科学(生命科学英文版)

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31072145);the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30730068);the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2005CB523200)

摘　　要：MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the recently discovered small non-coding RNA molecules that have post-transcriptional regulatory functions in many important biological processes. A large number of miRNAs have been found to be encoded by viral genomes, especially in herpesviruses. Previous research regarding miRNAs encoded by herpesviruses, including Marek’s disease virus (MDV), has demonstrated their involvement in lytic replication, latent infection, T-lymphocyte transformation and tumorigenesis. MDV is an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus, with the ability to induce tumors in natural hosts; however, formation of these tumors can be prevented by immunization with attenuated or nonpathogenic forms of the virus. Marek’s disease is considered to be a good biomedical model for investigating the biology, genetics, and immunology of tumorigenesis. In this paper, we review the discovery and identification of MDV-encoded miRNAs, along with their genomics, expression profiles, and currently known functions. We also discuss the prospects and techniques possibly applicable to the further investigation of the biological roles of MDV-encoded miRNAs.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the recently discovered small non-coding RNA molecules that have post-transcriptional regulatory functions in many important biological processes. A large number of miRNAs have been found to be encoded by viral genomes, especially in herpesviruses. Previous research regarding miRNAs encoded by herpesviruses, including Marek’s disease virus (MDV), has demonstrated their involvement in lytic replication, latent infection, T-lymphocyte transformation and tumorigenesis. MDV is an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus, with the ability to induce tumors in natural hosts; however, formation of these tumors can be prevented by immunization with attenuated or nonpathogenic forms of the virus. Marek’s disease is considered to be a good biomedical model for investigating the biology, genetics, and immunology of tumorigenesis. In this paper, we review the discovery and identification of MDV-encoded miRNAs, along with their genomics, expression profiles, and currently known functions. We also discuss the prospects and techniques possibly applicable to the further investigation of the biological roles of MDV-encoded miRNAs.

关 键 词：MDV miRNA HERPESVIRUS CANCER TUMORIGENESIS 

分 类 号：Q939.4[生物学—微生物学]