Functional regulation of the structure-specific endonuclease FEN1 by the human cytomegalovirus protein IE1 suggests a role for the re-initiation of stalled viral replication forks.

ABSTRACT: Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is a member of the family of structure-specific endonucleases implicated in regulation of DNA damage response and DNA replication. So far, knowledge on the role of FEN1 during viral infections is limited. Previous publications indicated that poxviruses encode a conserved protein that acts in a manner similar to FEN1 to stimulate homologous recombination, double-strand break (DSB) repair and full-size genome formation. Only recently, cellular FEN1 has been identified as a key component for hepatitis B virus cccDNA formation. Here, we report on a novel functional interaction between Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) and the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immediate early protein 1 (IE1). Our results provide evidence that IE1 manipulates FEN1 in an unprecedented manner: we ob

SUBMITTER: Schilling EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8026080 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature