Decay of host mRNAs by virus (kw:KW-1132)
Viruses have evolved ways of degrading host mRNAs to favor their survival and
maximize expression of their own mRNAs. Inducing cellular mRNAs degradation eventually leads to shutoff of host proteins expression and gives viruses transcripts a competitive edge for access to the cellular translation machinery and counteract the antiviral response.
Most viruses proceed by expressing an endonuclease that cleaves host mRNAs, which are in turn degraded by an host exonuclease, like Xrn1 in mammals
.

During the lytic replication cycle of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), SOX protein promotes massive cellular mRNAs decay through an endonucleotic internal cleavage of host mRNAs. The resulting RNA fragments are eliminated by the cellular RNA degradation machinery.
During the lytic replication cycle of Human herpesvirus 1 (HSV-1), VHS protein triggers accelerated degradation of host mRNAs and also seems to relocalize PABP. VHS would specifically target actively translated mRNAs through interactions with host EIF4F components (e.g. EIF4H, EIF4B, EIF4A2) and degrade them by endonucleotic RNA cleavage.
SARS NSP1 binds to 40s ribosomes and induces endonucleotic RNA cleavage of host mRNAs leading to their degradation. The presence of a 5'-end leader sequence protects SARS mRNAs from NSP1 cleavage.
Influenza A virus PA-X protein encoded on segment 3 by ribosomal frameshifting may have a messenger RNA endonuclease activity and play a role in the observed reduced cellular protein synthesis.
Viruses inducing host mRNA decay:
(Sub)Family | Virus | Viral protein | mRNA decay strategy | references |
Coronaviridae | SARS-CoV,bat-Cov ( Betacoronavirus ) | NSP1 | Endonucleotic mRNAs cleavage |
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Gammaherpesvirinae | HHV-8/KSHV | Shutoff alkaline exonuclease | Endonucleotic mRNAs cleavage |
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MHV68 | Shutoff alkaline exonuclease | Endonucleotic mRNAs cleavage |
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EBV | Shutoff alkaline exonuclease | ? |
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Orthomyxoviridae | Influenza A virus | PA-X protein | Endonucleotic mRNAs cleavage |
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Alphaherpesvirinae | HHV-1 | VHS protein | Endonucleotic mRNAs cleavage |
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Matching UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot entries
(all links/actions below point to uniprot.org website)149 entries grouped by strain
2 entries
Bat coronavirus HKU4 (BtCoV) (BtCoV/HKU4/2004) reference strain
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Bat coronavirus HKU5 (BtCoV) (BtCoV/HKU5/2004) reference strain
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Bat coronavirus HKU9 (BtCoV) (BtCoV/HKU9) reference strain
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Human coronavirus HKU1 (isolate N5) (HCoV-HKU1) reference strain
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Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) reference strain
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Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (isolate United Kingdom/H123990006/2012) (MERS-CoV) (Betacoronavirus England 1) reference strain
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Murine coronavirus (strain 2) (MHV-2) (Murine hepatitis virus) reference strain
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Murine coronavirus (strain A59) (MHV-A59) (Murine hepatitis virus) reference strain
2 entries
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) reference strain
2 entries
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (2019-nCoV) (SARS-CoV-2) reference strain
1 entry
Alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (strain C500) (AlHV-1) (Malignant catarrhal fever virus) reference strain
1 entry
Epstein-Barr virus (strain AG876) (HHV-4) (Human herpesvirus 4) reference strain
1 entry
Epstein-Barr virus (strain B95-8) (HHV-4) (Human herpesvirus 4) reference strain
1 entry
Equine herpesvirus 1 (strain Ab4p) (EHV-1) (Equine abortion virus) reference strain
1 entry
Equine herpesvirus 2 (strain 86/87) (EHV-2) reference strain
1 entry
Gallid herpesvirus 2 (strain Chicken/Md5/ATCC VR-987) (GaHV-2) (Marek's disease herpesvirus type 1) reference strain
1 entry
Human herpesvirus 1 (strain 17) (HHV-1) (Human herpes simplex virus 1) reference strain
1 entry
Human herpesvirus 2 (strain HG52) (HHV-2) (Human herpes simplex virus 2) reference strain
1 entry
Human herpesvirus 8 type P (isolate GK18) (HHV-8) (Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus) reference strain
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 H5N1 genotype Gs/Gd) reference strain
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1) reference strain
1 entry
Psittacid herpesvirus 1 (isolate Amazon parrot/-/97-0001/1997) (PsHV-1) (Pacheco's disease virus) reference strain
1 entry
Varicella-zoster virus (strain Dumas) (HHV-3) (Human herpesvirus 3) reference strain
2 entries
Bat coronavirus 133/2005 (BtCoV) (BtCoV/133/2005)
2 entries
Bat coronavirus 279/2005 (BtCoV) (BtCoV/279/2005)
2 entries
Bat coronavirus HKU3 (BtCoV) (SARS-like coronavirus HKU3)
2 entries
Bat coronavirus Rp3/2004 (BtCoV/Rp3/2004) (SARS-like coronavirus Rp3)
2 entries
Bovine coronavirus (strain 98TXSF-110-ENT) (BCoV-ENT) (BCV)
2 entries
Bovine coronavirus (strain 98TXSF-110-LUN) (BCoV-LUN) (BCV)
2 entries
Bovine coronavirus (strain Mebus) (BCoV) (BCV)
2 entries
Bovine coronavirus (strain Quebec) (BCoV) (BCV)
2 entries
Human coronavirus HKU1 (isolate N1) (HCoV-HKU1)
2 entries
Human coronavirus HKU1 (isolate N2) (HCoV-HKU1)
2 entries
Murine coronavirus (strain JHM) (MHV-JHM) (Murine hepatitis virus)
1 entry
Epstein-Barr virus (strain GD1) (HHV-4) (Human gammaherpesvirus 4)
1 entry
Equine herpesvirus 1 (strain V592) (EHV-1) (Equine abortion virus)
1 entry
Human herpesvirus 1 (strain KOS) (HHV-1) (Human herpes simplex virus 1)
1 entry
Human herpesvirus 2 (strain 333) (HHV-2) (Human herpes simplex virus 2)
1 entry
Human herpesvirus 2 (strain G) (HHV-2) (Human herpes simplex virus 2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Ann Arbor/6/1960 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Beijing/39/1975 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Brazil/11/1978 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Brevig Mission/1/1918 H1N1) (Influenza A virus (strain A/South Carolina/1/1918 H1N1))
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Brescia/1902 H7N7)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Hong Kong/220/1997 H5N1 genotype Gs/Gd)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Hong Kong/31.2/2002 H5N1 genotype X1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Hong Kong/715.5/2001 H5N1 genotype E)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Hong Kong/96.1/2002 H5N1 genotype Y)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Hong Kong/YU22/2002 H5N1 genotype Z)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/1/1983 H5N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Scotland/1959 H5N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chicken/Victoria/1/1985 H7N7)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Chile/1/1983 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/China:Nanchang/11/1996 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Duck/Czechoslovakia/1956 H4N6)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Duck/England/1/1956 H11N6)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Duck/Germany/1949 H10N7)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Duck/Hokkaido/8/1980 H3N8)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Duck/Hong Kong/2986.1/2000 H5N1 genotype C)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/England/878/1969 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Equine/London/1416/1973 H7N7)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Equine/Tennessee/5/1986 H3N8)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Fort Monmouth/1/1947 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Fowl plague virus/Rostock/8/1934 H7N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Goose/Guangxi/345/2005 H5N1 genotype G)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Grey teal/Australia/2/1979 H4N4)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Guinea fowl/Hong Kong/38/2002 H5N1 genotype X0)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Gull/Maryland/704/1977 H13N6)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Gull/Minnesota/945/1980 H13N6)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Henry/1936 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Hickox/1940 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Hong Kong/1/1968 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Hong Kong/156/1997 H5N1 genotype Gs/Gd)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Hong Kong/5/1983 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/India/6263/1980 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Japan/305/1957 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Kitakyushu/159/1993 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Korea/426/1968 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Leningrad/134/17/1957 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Leningrad/134/1957 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Leningrad/134/47/1957 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Malaysia:Malaya/302/1954 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Mallard/New York/6750/1978 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/1/1971 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/101/1972 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/102/1972 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/110/1976 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/18/1978 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/2/1978 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Memphis/4/1980 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/New Zealand:South Canterbury/35/2000 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Northern Territory/60/1968 H3N2) (Influenza A virus (strain NT60)) (Influenza A virus (strain A/NT/60/1968 H3N2))
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Pintail/Alberta/119/1979 H4N6)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Port Chalmers/1/1973 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Qu/7/1970 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Ruddy Turnstone/New Jersey/47/1985 H4N6)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Russia:St.Petersburg/8/2006 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Seal/Massachusetts/1/1980 H7N7)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Silky Chicken/Hong Kong/SF189/2001 H5N1 genotype A)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Silky Chicken/Hong Kong/YU100/2002 H5N1 genotype X3)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Singapore/1/1957 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Colorado/1/1977 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Hong Kong/126/1982 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Hong Kong/81/1978 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Iowa/15/1930 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Tennessee/26/1977 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Wisconsin/1/1961 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Swine/Wisconsin/1/1967 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Tokyo/3/1967 H2N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Turkey/Ireland/1378/1983 H5N8)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Turkey/Minnesota/501/1978 H6N8)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Turkey/Minnesota/833/1980 H4N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Turkey/Ontario/6118/1968 H8N4)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Turkey/Wisconsin/1/1966 H9N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USA:Albany/12/1951 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USA:Huston/AA/1945 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USA:Iowa/1943 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USA:Memphis/10/1996 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USA:Phila/1935 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USA:Texas/UR06-0195/2007 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/USSR/90/1977 H1N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Udorn/307/1972 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Vietnam/1203/2004 H5N1)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/Wilson-Smith/1933 H1N1) (Influenza A virus (strain A/WS/1933 H1N1))
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/X-31 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain A/wyoming/03/2003 H3N2)
1 entry
Influenza A virus (strain swl A/California/04/2009 H1N1)
1 entry