Small creatures use small RNAs to direct antiviral defenses

Sabin, L. R., Cherry, S. (January 2013) Small creatures use small RNAs to direct antiviral defenses. European Journal of Immunology, 43 (1). pp. 27-33. ISSN 1521-4141 (Electronic)0014-2980 (Linking)

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23322691
DOI: 10.1002/eji.201243201

Abstract

Antiviral RNA silencing has been recognized as an important defense mechanism in arthropods against RNA viruses. However, the role of this pathway in DNA virus infection remains largely unexplored. A report in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology provides new insight into the role of RNA silencing in antiviral defense against DNA viruses. Huang and Zhang [Eur. J. Immunol. 2013. 137-146] found that the dsDNA virus white spot syndrome virus, an agriculturally important pathogen of shrimp, is targeted by the shrimp RNA-silencing machinery via the production of virus-derived siRNAs. Furthermore, the authors show that the RNA-silencing pathway, and crucially, Dicer-2, is important for restricting viral infection. This study provides novel insights not only into shrimp antiviral defenses but also potentially into antiviral immunity against DNA viruses in a larger spectrum of hosts, as discussed in this Commentary. Furthermore, this study may contribute to the future development of immune-based therapeutics to combat viral pathogens, not only in aquaculture, but also in insect vectors of human diseases.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
diseases & disorders
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
diseases & disorders > viral diseases
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > sRNA
organism description > virus
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Hannon lab
CSHL Post Doctoral Fellows
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: January 2013
Date Deposited: 08 Feb 2013 18:44
Last Modified: 19 Jul 2021 15:03
PMCID: PMC3799994
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/27231

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