Journal of Virology

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), including HPV16, produce circular RNA that encompasses the E7 oncogene (circE7). CircE7 can be detected in HPV16-positive cells and tumors, is preferentially localized to the cytoplasm, is N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A)-modified, and can be translated into the E7 oncoprotein. Here, we explored the regulation and function of circE7. Mutation of m⁶A motifs flanking the backsplice junction revealed a single m⁶A motif to be essential for circE7 formation. Mutation...

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a prominent orthoflavivirus transmitted by ticks, poses a risk of potentially fatal encephalitis in humans. Currently, the only available inactivated vaccines have limited usage, underscoring the need for developing novel vaccine strategies. The 3' untranslated region (UTR) of TBEV can be divided into variable and conserved regions, where structured RNA elements play crucial roles in viral replication and virulence. In this study, we found that deleting...

No abstract

SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells is mediated by the spike glycoprotein, which promotes fusion between viral and host membranes. Despite its importance, the precise location and mode of action of the fusion peptide, a key spike region that inserts into and perturbs the host membrane, remain elusive. Two regions have been proposed as fusion peptides: one located at the N-terminus of the protein (nFP) and the other at an internal position (iFP). Here, we combine computational and experimental...

Rabies virus (RABV), a lethal neurotropic pathogen, relies on interaction with the host to sustain neuronal infection; however, how it balances replication with neuronal survival remains unclear. Here, we revealed Snapin, a neuronal trafficking regulator, to be a critical host factor co-opted by RABV to enhance neuroinvasion. We found that RABV infection upregulated Snapin expression in N2a cells, and Snapin could promote the replication of RABV CVS11 and SRV9 strains in a dose-dependent manner....