scholarly journals Transcription of Hepatitis Delta Antigen mRNA Continues throughout Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) Replication: a New Model of HDV RNA Transcription and Replication

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 5449-5456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy E. Modahl ◽  
Michael M. C. Lai
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
New Model ◽  
Delta Antigen ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Genomic Length ◽  
Polyadenylated Mrna ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) replicates by RNA-dependent RNA synthesis according to a double rolling circle model. Also synthesized during replication is a 0.8-kb, polyadenylated mRNA encoding the hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg). It has been proposed that this mRNA species represents the initial product of HDV RNA replication; subsequent production of genomic-length HDV RNA relies on suppression of the HDV RNA polyadenylation signal by HDAg. However, this model was based on studies which required the use of an HDV cDNA copy to initiate HDV RNA replication in cell culture, thus introducing an artificial requirement for DNA-dependent RNA synthesis. We have now used an HDV cDNA-free RNA transfection system and a method that we developed to detect specifically the mRNA species transcribed from the HDV RNA template. We established that this polyadenylated mRNA is 0.8 kb in length and its 5′ end begins at nucleotide 1631. Surprisingly, kinetic studies showed that this mRNA continued to be synthesized even late in the viral replication cycle and that the mRNA and the genomic-length RNA increased in parallel, even in the presence of HDAg. Thus, a switch from production of the HDAg mRNA to the full-length HDV RNA does not occur in this system, and suppression of the polyadenylation site by HDAg may not significantly regulate the synthesis of the HDAg mRNA, as previously proposed. These findings reveal novel insights into the mechanism of HDV RNA replication. A new model of HDV RNA replication and transcription is proposed.

scholarly journals Large Hepatitis Delta Antigen Is Not a Suppressor of Hepatitis Delta Virus RNA Synthesis once RNA Replication Is Established

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (19) ◽  
pp. 9910-9919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas B. Macnaughton ◽  
Michael M. C. Lai
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
State Level ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Replication Cycle ◽  
Steady State Level ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Delta Antigen ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Moderation of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) replication is a likely prerequisite in the establishment of chronic infections and is thought to be mediated by the intracellular accumulation of large hepatitis delta antigen (L-HDAg). The regulatory role of this protein was suggested from several studies showing that cotransfection of plasmid cDNAs expressing both L-HDAg and HDV RNA results in a potent inhibition of HDV RNA replication. However, since this approach differs significantly from natural HDV infections, where HDV RNA replication is initiated from an RNA template, and L-HDAg appears only late in the replication cycle, it remains unclear whether L-HDAg can modulate HDV RNA replication in the natural HDV replication cycle. In this study, we investigated the effect of L-HDAg, produced as a result of the natural HDV RNA editing event, on HDV RNA replication. The results showed that following cDNA-free HDV RNA transfection, a steady-state level of RNA was established at 3 to 4 days posttransfection. The same level of HDV RNA was reached when a mutant HDV genome unable to make L-HDAg was used, suggesting that L-HDAg did not play a role. The rates of HDV RNA synthesis, as measured by metabolic labeling experiments, were identical at 4 and 8 days posttransfection and in the wild type and the L-HDAg-deficient mutant. We further examined the effect of overexpression of L-HDAg at various stages of the HDV replication cycle, showing that HDV RNA synthesis was resistant to L-HDAg when it was overexpressed 3 days after HDV RNA replication had initiated. Finally, we showed that, contrary to conventional thinking, L-HDAg alone, at a certain molar ratio with HDV RNA, can initiate HDV RNA replication. Thus, L-HDAg does not inherently inhibit HDV RNA synthesis. Taken together, these results indicated that L-HDAg affects neither the rate of HDV RNA synthesis nor the final steady-state level of HDV RNA and that L-HDAg is unlikely to act as an inhibitor of HDV RNA replication in the natural HDV replication cycle.

scholarly journals Transcription of Subgenomic mRNA of Hepatitis Delta Virus Requires a Modified Hepatitis Delta Antigen That Is Distinct from Antigenomic RNA Synthesis

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (19) ◽  
pp. 9409-9416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung-Hsin Tseng ◽  
King-Song Jeng ◽  
Michael M. C. Lai
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Nuclear Bodies ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Mrna Transcription ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Delta Antigen ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) contains a viroid-like, 1.7-kb circular RNA genome, which replicates via a double-rolling-circle model. However, the exact mechanism involved in HDV genome RNA replication and subgenomic mRNA transcription is still unclear. Our previous studies have shown that the replications of genomic and antigenomic HDV RNA strands have different sensitivities to α-amanitin and are associated with different nuclear bodies, suggesting that these two strands are synthesized in different transcription machineries in the cells. In this study, we developed a unique quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) procedure for detection of various HDV RNA species from an RNA transfection system. Using this qRT-PCR procedure and a series of HDV mutants, we demonstrated that Arg-13 methylation, Lys-72 acetylation, and Ser-177 phosphorylation of small hepatitis delta antigen (S-HDAg) are important for HDV mRNA transcription. In addition, these three S-HDAg modifications are dispensable for antigenomic RNA synthesis but are required for genomic RNA synthesis. Furthermore, the three RNA species had different sensitivities to acetylation and deacetylation inhibitors, showing that the metabolic requirements for the synthesis of HDV antigenomic RNA are different from those for the synthesis of genomic RNA and mRNA. In sum, our data support the hypothesis that the cellular machinery involved in the synthesis of HDV antigenomic RNA is different from that of genomic RNA synthesis and mRNA transcription, even though the antigenomic RNA and the mRNA are made from the same RNA template. We propose that acetylation and deacetylation of HDAg may provide a molecular switch for the synthesis of the different HDV RNA species.

scholarly journals Genotype-Specific Complementation of Hepatitis Delta Virus RNA Replication by Hepatitis Delta Antigen

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 2806-2814 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Casey ◽  
John L. Gerin
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Cdna Clones ◽  
Genotype I ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Genotype Iii ◽  
Delta Antigen ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Hdv Genotype ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Characterizations of genetic variations among hepatitis delta virus (HDV) isolates have focused principally on phylogenetic analysis of sequences, which vary by 30 to 40% among three genotypes and about 10 to 15% among isolates of the same genotype. The significance of the sequence differences has been unclear but could be responsible for pathogenic variations associated with the different genotypes. Studies of the mechanisms of HDV replication have been limited to cDNA clones from HDV genotype I, which is the most common. To perform a comparative analysis of HDV RNA replication in genotypes I and III, we have obtained a full-length cDNA clone from an HDV genotype III isolate. In transfected Huh-7 cells, the functional roles of the two forms of the viral protein, hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg), in HDV RNA replication are similar for both genotypes I and III; the short form is required for RNA replication, while the long form inhibits replication. For both genotypes, HDAg was able to support replication of RNAs of the same genotype that were mutated so as to be defective for HDAg production. Surprisingly, however, neither genotype I nor genotype III HDAg was able to support replication of such mutated RNAs of the other genotype. The inability of genotype III HDAg to support replication of genotype I RNA could have been due to a weak interaction between the RNA and HDAg. The clear genotype-specific activity of HDAg in supporting HDV RNA replication confirms the original categorization of HDV sequences in three genotypes and further suggests that these should be referred to as types (i.e., HDV-I and HDV-III) rather than genotypes.

scholarly journals Initiation of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) replication: HDV RNA encoding the large delta antigen cannot replicate

2002 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 2507-2513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwo-Tarng Sheu
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Virion Assembly ◽  
Delta Antigen ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Hdv Infection ◽  
Delta Virus

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) nucleocapsid consists of a genomic-length RNA of 1·7 kb and approximately equimolar amounts of the small and large forms of the hepatitis delta antigen (S-HDAg and L-HDAg, respectively). Since HDV RNA particles contain not only a genomic RNA species encoding S-HDAg but also an RNA species encoding L-HDAg, which is produced by an RNA-editing process, the question arises as to whether RNAs encoding either L-HDAg or S-HDAg can initiate replication. To study this, two cDNA-free transfection methods were employed: HDV RNA cotransfected with either the S-HDAg-encoding mRNA species or the ribonucleocapsid protein complex, comprising HDV RNA and recombinant S-HDAg. Results showed that the genomic-sense RNA encoding S-HDAg could promote HDV replication, whereas the L-HDAg-encoding RNA species was unable to replicate under the same conditions. The antigenomic RNA species encoding either S-HDAg or L-HDAg could not replicate by either of these procedures. In addition, L-HDAg alone could not promote replication of the genomic RNA but, by supplementing an equal amount of S-HDAg, replication occurred. These data indicate that L-HDAg-encoding RNA species are probably not involved in the initiation of HDV RNA synthesis; instead, their main function may be to serve as template for producing L-HDAg, which regulates HDV RNA synthesis and virion assembly. These results suggest that the genomic RNA species encoding S-HDAg is the only functional genome for HDV infection and explain why the presence of the edited HDV RNA encoding L-HDAg does not interfere with HDV infection.

scholarly journals Modification of Small Hepatitis Delta Virus Antigen by SUMO Protein

2009 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 918-927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung-Hsin Tseng ◽  
Tai-Shan Cheng ◽  
Chiung-Yueh Shu ◽  
King-Song Jeng ◽  
Michael M. C. Lai
Keyword(s):  
Posttranslational Modifications ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Virus Antigen ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Lysine Residues ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) is a nuclear protein that is intimately involved in hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNA replication. HDAg consists of two protein species, the small form (S-HDAg) and the large form (L-HDAg). Previous studies have shown that posttranslational modifications of S-HDAg, such as phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation, can modulate HDV RNA replication. In this study, we show that S-HDAg is a small ubiquitin-like modifier 1 (SUMO1) target protein. Mapping data showed that multiple lysine residues are SUMO1 acceptors within S-HDAg. Using a genetic fusion strategy, we found that conjugation of SUMO1 to S-HDAg selectively enhanced HDV genomic RNA and mRNA synthesis but not antigenomic RNA synthesis. This result supports our previous proposition that the cellular machinery involved in the synthesis of HDV antigenomic RNA is different from that for genomic RNA synthesis and mRNA transcription, requiring different modified forms of S-HDAg. Sumoylation represents a new type of modification for HDAg.

scholarly journals The Large Delta Antigen of Hepatitis Delta Virus Potently Inhibits Genomic but Not Antigenomic RNA Synthesis: a Mechanism Enabling Initiation of Viral Replication

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (16) ◽  
pp. 7375-7380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy E. Modahl ◽  
Michael M. C. Lai
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Inhibitory Effects ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Artificial Dna ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) contains two types of hepatitis delta antigens (HDAg) in the virion. The small form (S-HDAg) is required for HDV RNA replication, whereas the large form (L-HDAg) potently inhibits it by a dominant-negative inhibitory mechanism. The sequential appearance of these two forms in the infected cells regulates HDV RNA synthesis during the viral life cycle. However, the presence of almost equal amounts of S-HDAg and L-HDAg in the virion raised a puzzling question concerning how HDV can escape the inhibitory effects of L-HDAg and initiate RNA replication after infection. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of L-HDAg on the synthesis of various HDV RNA species. Using an HDV RNA-based transfection approach devoid of any artificial DNA intermediates, we showed that a small amount of L-HDAg is sufficient to inhibit HDV genomic RNA synthesis from the antigenomic RNA template. However, the synthesis of antigenomic RNA, including both the 1.7-kb HDV RNA and the 0.8-kb HDAg mRNA, from the genomic-sense RNA was surprisingly resistant to inhibition by L-HDAg. The synthesis of these RNAs was inhibited only when L-HDAg was in vast excess over S-HDAg. These results explain why HDV genomic RNA can initiate replication after infection even though the incoming viral genome is complexed with equal amounts of L-HDAg and S-HDAg. These results also suggest that the mechanisms of synthesis of genomic versus antigenomic RNA are different. This study thus resolves a puzzling question about the early events of the HDV life cycle.

scholarly journals Increased RNA Editing and Inhibition of Hepatitis Delta Virus Replication by High-Level Expression of ADAR1 and ADAR2

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 3819-3827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geetha C. Jayan ◽  
John L. Casey
Keyword(s):  
Rna Editing ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Rna Packaging ◽  
High Level Expression ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Huh7 Cells ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
High Level ◽  
Delta Virus

ABSTRACT Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a subviral human pathogen that uses specific RNA editing activity of the host to produce two essential forms of the sole viral protein, hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg). Editing at the amber/W site of HDV antigenomic RNA leads to the production of the longer form (HDAg-L), which is required for RNA packaging but which is a potent trans-dominant inhibitor of HDV RNA replication. Editing in infected cells is thought to be catalyzed by one or more of the cellular enzymes known as adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs). We examined the effects of increased ADAR1 and ADAR2 expression on HDV RNA editing and replication in transfected Huh7 cells. We found that both ADARs dramatically increased RNA editing, which was correlated with strong inhibition of HDV RNA replication. While increased HDAg-L production was the primary mechanism of inhibition, we observed at least two additional means by which ADARs can suppress HDV replication. High-level expression of both ADAR1 and ADAR2 led to extensive hyperediting at non-amber/W sites and subsequent production of HDAg variants that acted as trans-dominant inhibitors of HDV RNA replication. Moreover, we also observed weak inhibition of HDV RNA replication by mutated forms of ADARs defective for deaminase activity. Our results indicate that HDV requires highly regulated and selective editing and that the level of ADAR expression can play an important role: overexpression of ADARs inhibits HDV RNA replication and compromises virus viability.

scholarly journals Arginine-Rich Motifs Are Not Required for Hepatitis Delta Virus RNA Binding Activity of the Hepatitis Delta Antigen

2013 ◽  
Vol 87 (15) ◽  
pp. 8665-8674 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. H. Daigh ◽  
B. L. Griffin ◽  
A. Soroush ◽  
M. R. Mamedov ◽  
J. L. Casey
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis Delta Virus ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Hepatitis Delta ◽  
Delta Antigen ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Hepatitis Delta Antigen ◽  
Delta Virus
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