Battle for supremacy: nucleic acid interactions between viruses and cells
Elizabeth J. Hennessy, Garret A. FitzGerald
Elizabeth J. Hennessy, Garret A. FitzGerald
Published December 8, 2020
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2021;131(3):e144227. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI144227.
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Battle for supremacy: nucleic acid interactions between viruses and cells

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, researchers have been trying to understand its origin, life cycle, and pathogenesis. There is a striking variability in the phenotypic response to infection with SARS-CoV-2 that may reflect differences in host genetics and/or immune response. It is known that the human epigenome is influenced by ethnicity, age, lifestyle, and environmental factors, including previous viral infections. This Review examines the influence of viruses on the host epigenome. We describe general lessons and methodologies that can be used to understand how the virus evades the host immune response. We consider how variation in the epigenome may contribute to heterogeneity in the response to SARS-CoV-2 and may identify a precision medicine approach to treatment.

Authors

Elizabeth J. Hennessy, Garret A. FitzGerald

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Figure 2

Cellular nucleic acid interactions.

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Cellular nucleic acid interactions. Annotating the human epigenome has u...
Annotating the human epigenome has uncovered nucleic acid interactions that determine the expression of genes involved in the response to viral infections. (A) Chromatin accessibility and histone modifications determine whether or not a gene will be transcribed. (B) Chromatin capture techniques identify locations in the genome that are interacting. (C) Various pull-down approaches use a protein of interest to determine whether specific RNA or chromatin regions are interacting. (D) Recent studies have shown that RNA transcripts interact with other RNA transcripts and that this can be independent of RNA-binding proteins.