Virus Escape and Manipulation of Cellular Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay

Viruses. 2017 Jan 23;9(1):24. doi: 10.3390/v9010024.

Abstract

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a cellular RNA turnover pathway targeting RNAs with features resulting in aberrant translation termination, has recently been found to restrict the replication of positive-stranded RNA ((+)RNA) viruses. As for every other antiviral immune system, there is also evidence of viruses interfering with and modulating NMD to their own advantage. This review will discuss our current understanding of why and how NMD targets viral RNAs, and elaborate counter-defense strategies viruses utilize to escape NMD.

Keywords: RNA quality control; RNA-protein interactions; gene expression; translation.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion*
  • Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay*
  • RNA Viruses / immunology*
  • RNA Viruses / physiology*
  • Virus Replication*