The nuclear export of cellular mRNAs is mediated by factors interacting with both the messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) and the nucleoporins (NUPs) to deliver the mRNAs through the nuclear pore complex to the cytoplasm.


Several viruses interfere with host mRNA nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking, eventually leading to shutoff of host proteins expression. This gives viruses transcripts a competitive edge for access to the cellular translation machinery. Preventing the expression of host proteins is also a strategy to counteract the antiviral response. For example, VSV matrix protein inhibits mRNA export by forming a complex with the mRNA export factor Rae1, whereas the 2A protease of picornaviruses promotes cleavage of host Nup98, Nup153, Nup62.

Viruses inhibiting host mRNA nuclear export:

Family	Virus	Viral protein	mRNA nuclear export inhibition strategy	references
Picornaviridae	Poliovirus (Enterovirus)	2A protease	Breakdown of nucleoporins
	Theiler’s virus (Cardiovirus)	Leader protein	Hyperphosphorylation of Nup98
	HRV16 (Enterovirus)	3C protease	Breakdown of nucleoporins
	HRV14 (Enterovirus)	?	?
Rhabdoviridae	Vesicular stomatitis virus (Vesiculovirus)	M protein	Disrupts Rae1-Nup98 interaction
Adenoviridae	Adenovirus (Mastadenovirus)	?	?
Herpesviridae	HHV-1 (Simplexvirus)	ICP27	Binds Nup62 and might compete with export receptors