Analysis of G-quadruplexes upstream of herpesvirus miRNAs: evidence of G-quadruplex mediated regulation of KSHV miR-K12–1-9,11 cluster and HCMV miR-US33

BMC Molecular and Cell Biology

Divya Choudhary¹  Shivani Kumar²  Perumal Vivekanandan²  Anupam Patra³  Neel Sarovar Bhavesh³ 

[1] Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India;Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India;Transcription Regulation Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India;

关键词: Herpesvirus;    G-quadruplexes;    MiRNA;    Kaposi's sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus;    Human Cytomegalovirus;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12860-020-00306-w

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundG-quadruplexes regulate gene expression, recombination, packaging and latency in herpesviruses. Herpesvirus-encoded miRNAs have been linked to important biological functions. The presence and the biological role of G-quadruplexes have not been studied in the regulatory regions of virus miRNA. We hypothesized that herpesvirus-encoded miRNAs are regulated by G-quadruplexes in their promoters.ResultsWe analyzed the 1 kb regulatory regions of all herpesvirus-encoded miRNAs for the presence of putative quadruplex-forming sequences (PQS). Over two-third (67%) of the regulatory regions of herpesvirus miRNAs had atleast 1 PQS. The 200 bp region of the promoter proximal to herpesvirus miRNA is particularly enriched for PQS. We chose to study the G-quadruplex motifs in the promoters of miR-K12 cluster in Kaposi's sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV miR-K12–1-9,11) and the miR-US33 encoded by Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV miR-US33). Biophysical characterization indicates that the G-quadruplex motifs in the promoters of the KSHV miR-K12 cluster and the HCMV miR-US33 form stable intramolecular G-quadruplexes in vitro. Mutations disrupting the G-quadruplex motif in the promoter of the KSHV miR-K12 cluster significantly inhibits promoter activity, while those disrupting the motif in the promoter of HCMV miR-US33 significantly enhance the promoter activity as compared to that of the respective wild-type promoter. Similarly, the addition of G-quadruplex binding ligands resulted in the modulation of promoter activity of the wild-type promoters (with intact G-quadruplex) but not the mutant promoters (containing quadruplex-disrupting mutations).ConclusionOur findings highlight previously unknown mechanisms of regulation of virus-encoded miRNA and also shed light on new roles for G-quadruplexes in herpesvirus biology.

【 授权许可】

CC BY