Functional and structural insights into HCMV terminase accessory proteins pUL77 and pUL93.

ABSTRACT: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised and congenitally infected patients. Current antiviral therapies, primarily targeting the viral DNA polymerase, are limited by toxicity and resistance, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Letermovir (LTV), which targets the viral terminase complex (pUL56-pUL89-pUL51), has improved prophylaxis in transplant recipients, but resistance mutations have already emerged. This complex is responsible for cleaving and packaging the viral genome into neo-formed capsids in close interaction with several other proteins. This study focuses on two essential terminase-associated proteins, pUL77 and pUL93, investigating their natural polymorphism, mutations arising under LTV prophylaxis, a

SUBMITTER: Gourin C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12548450 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature