Viral miRNA

http://homepage.usask.ca/~vim458/advirol/SPCV/miRNA/miRNA.html#References

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural response to the presence of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) which results in the sequence-specific silencing of gene expression. RNAi is a nucleic-acid based immune defense against viruses, transgenes and transposons. In eukaryotic cells, RNAi is triggered either by short interfering RNAs (siRNA) or by micro RNAs (miRNA) molecules. Recent findings reveal that certain viruses encode their own miRNAs that are processed by cellular RNAi machinery. However, it was unclear what the roles of these virus-encoded miRNAs play and whether some cellular miRNAs play a role in viral replication and phatogenicity. Here I have reviewed the current findings on virus-encoded miRNAs, and their roles in viral replication. I have also examined the role of cellular miRNA in the virus replicative cycle, mechanisms of virus countradefense as well as roles of viral miRNAs in cancer development and latest achievements in antiviral therapy using miRNA analogs.


Since miRNAs have been discovered and their role in gene regulation established, it has been theorized that viruses could generate miRNAs as well and that these viral encoded miRNAs could regulate cellular mechanisms and viral replication. There are several lines of evidence to support this theory: