Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen: Replicating and Shielding Viral DNA during Viral Persistence

J Virol. 2017 Jun 26;91(14):e01083-16. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01083-16. Print 2017 Jul 15.

Abstract

Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes lifelong latency. The viral latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) promotes viral persistence by tethering the viral genome to cellular chromosomes and by participating in latent DNA replication. Recently, the structure of the LANA C-terminal DNA binding domain was solved and new cytoplasmic variants of LANA were discovered. We discuss how these findings contribute to our current view of LANA structure and assembly and of its role during viral persistence.

Keywords: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus; LANA speckles; cytoplasmic DNA sensors; cytoplasmic variants; structure; virus persistence.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Viral / chemistry*
  • Antigens, Viral / metabolism*
  • DNA Replication*
  • DNA, Viral / metabolism*
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human / physiology*
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nuclear Proteins / chemistry*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Virus Latency*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • DNA, Viral
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • latency-associated nuclear antigen