Lessons Learned from <italic toggle="yes">In Vivo</italic> Studies of a Viral Noncoding RNA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite increasing interest in the biology of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), few functions have been uncovered for viral ncRNAs in vivo. In their recent article in mSphere, Feldman and colleagues [E. R. Feldman et al., mSphere 1(2):e00105-15, 2016, doi:10.1128/mSphere.00105-15 ] demonstrate a highly specific activity of a gammaherpesviral ncRNA in viral dissemination and establishment of latent infection. Their work highlights several interesting features that should be informative to future studies of viral ncRNA.

Keywords

• Epstein-Barr virus
• Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus
• gammaherpesvirus
• latency
• microRNA
• noncoding RNA