Knotty Zika Virus Blocks Exonuclease to Produce Subgenomic Flaviviral RNAs

Abstract

Summary In a recent issue of Science, Akiyama et al. (2016) prove the existence of a pseudoknot that stabilizes a nuclease-resistant RNA structure in the 3’ untranslated region of Zika virus. This reinforced structure blocks the 5’→3’ exonuclease Xrn1 for the production of pathogenic subgenomic flaviviral RNAs.

Precision editing of the gut microbiota ameliorates colitis

“…2a). As we have reported in a recently published metagenomic analysis of the mock- and DSS-treated animals 11 , MoCo-dependent processes such as nitrate respiration, trimethylamine N -oxide respiration, and formate oxidation were overrepresented 11 (Fig. 2b, Extended Data Fig.…”

“…2b. Sample collection, shotgun metagenomics sequencing and data analysis were performed as previously described 11 .…”

“…The close association between mucosal inflammation and gut microbiota dysbiosis poses a challenge in establishing causality between these two events. Using metagenomic sequencing, we have recently identified molybdenum cofactor (MoCo)-dependent metabolic pathways as a signature of inflammation-associated dysbiosis 11 . MoCo-dependent anaerobic respiratory enzymes and formate dehydrogenases independently contribute to the bloom of model Enterobacteriaceae such as E. coli 11,12 .…”

“…Using metagenomic sequencing, we have recently identified molybdenum cofactor (MoCo)-dependent metabolic pathways as a signature of inflammation-associated dysbiosis 11 . MoCo-dependent anaerobic respiratory enzymes and formate dehydrogenases independently contribute to the bloom of model Enterobacteriaceae such as E. coli 11,12 . We reasoned that identification of MoCo-dependent processes as drivers of dysbiosis would allow us to devise a strategy to manipulate microbiota metabolism and composition during gut inflammation.…”

“…In contrast to broad-spectrum antibiotics, tungstate treatment of the dysbiotic microbiota allows for the selective control of bacterial populations that rely of MoCo-dependent processes such as Enterobacteriaceae. Since these MoCo-dependent processes are only operational during gut inflammation 11 , tungsten treatment only acts on the enterobacterial population during disease and does not eliminate Enterobacteriaceae from the ecosystem during homeostatic conditions. Our work identifies MoCo-dependent processes as a target to control disease-specific aspects of the microbiota composition.…”