Key questions on the epigenetics of herpes simplex virus latency

How do neuronal epigenetics contribute to the initiation and maintenance of HSV gene silencing? HSV only establishes a latent infection in postmitotic neurons. [...]understanding what makes neurons epigenetically unique to other cell types could have significant implications to our understanding of...

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Published inPLoS pathogens Vol. 18; no. 6; p. e1010587
Main Authors Whitford, Abigail L., Cliffe, Anna R.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published San Francisco Public Library of Science 01.06.2022
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects
Biology and Life Sciences
Cell differentiation
Chromatin
DNA methylation
Epigenetics
Funding
Gene expression
Gene silencing
Genomes
Herpes simplex
Herpes viruses
Heterogeneity
Infections
Latency
Latent infection
Localization
Medicine and Health Sciences
Neurons
Pearls
Polycomb group proteins
Protein composition
Proteins
Transcription factors
Viruses
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Summary:How do neuronal epigenetics contribute to the initiation and maintenance of HSV gene silencing? HSV only establishes a latent infection in postmitotic neurons. [...]understanding what makes neurons epigenetically unique to other cell types could have significant implications to our understanding of latency. [...]due to a lack of transcription factors, some forms of epigenetic modifications could be secondary to reduced transcription in neurons (Fig 1B, panel 1). Neurons are a specialized, terminally differentiated, postmitotic cell type with unique patterns of gene expression and response to stimuli. [...]it is also plausible that the unique chromatin environment and resulting differential expression or function of host proteins or RNA in neurons contributes to epigenetic silencing in HSV latency to actively drive gene repression (Fig 1B, panel 2). Polycomb group complexes display considerable heterogeneity in their protein composition, which can result in different consequences on chromatin structure [10]. [...]it is probable that are multiple unexplored differences in the epigenetic environment of neurons compared to nonneuronal cells and likely also between different neuronal subtypes, which could influence epigenetics on the HSV genome.
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The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
ISSN:1553-7374
1553-7366
1553-7374
DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1010587