MYBBP1A is required for efficient replication and gene expression of herpes simplex virus 1

Abstract

AbstractMore than 100 different herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV‐1) genes belong to three major classes, and their expression is coordinately regulated and sequentially ordered in a cascade. This complex HSV‐1 gene expression is thought to be regulated by various viral and host cellular proteins. A host cellular protein, Myb‐binding protein 1A (MYBBP1A), has been reported to be associated with HSV‐1 viral genomes in conjunction with viral and cellular proteins critical for DNA replication, repair, and transcription within infected cells. However, the role(s) of MYBBP1A in HSV‐1 infections remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of MYBBP1A depletion on HSV‐1 infection and found that MYBBP1A depletion significantly reduced HSV‐1 replication, as well as the accumulation of several viral proteins. These results suggest that MYBBP1A is an important host cellular factor that contributes to HSV‐1 replication, plausibly by promoting viral gene expression.