Design stars: how Small DNA Viruses Remodel the Host Nucleus

Abstract

Numerous host components are encountered by viruses during the infection process. While some of these host structures are left unchanged, others may go through dramatic remodeling processes. In this review, we summarize these host changes that occur during small DNA virus infections, with a focus on host nuclear components and pathways. Although these viruses differ significantly in their genome structures and infectious pathways, there are common nuclear targets that are altered by various viral factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that these nuclear remodeling processes are often essential for productive viral infections and/or viral-induced transformation. Understanding the complex interactions between viruses and these host structures and pathways will help to build a more integrated network of how the virus completes its life cycle and point toward the design of novel therapeutic regimens that either prevent harmful viral infections or employ viruses as nontraditional treatment options or molecular tools.

Keywords:

• adenovirus
• chromatin remodeling
• DNA damage response
• nuclear bodies
• nuclear envelope
• nucleus
• papillomavirus
• parvovirus
• polyomavirus
• tumor suppressor protein

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank K Spindler and members of the Imperiale laboratory for critical review of the manuscript. We apologize to all our colleagues whose important work could not be directly cited.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by grant AI060584 awarded to MJ Imperiale from the NIH. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grant AI060584 awarded to MJ Imperiale from the NIH. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.