Fall Research Expo 2020

Epstein Barr Virus Encoded BHRF1 miRNA Targets Host Transcription Factor ATF-1 and ATF-2

Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) is a human gammaherpesvirus that is a causative infectious agent of numerous human malignancies and pathologies. EBV tumors are known to express ncRNAs, including 44 different viral microRNAs (miRNAs). Early studies have found functions of EBV miRNA in immune evasion, apoptosis, and transformation of B cells. Epstein Barr-Virus (EBV) miRNAs upregulated during latency may have a role in maintenance of the EBV latency stage, thus contributing to tumorigenesis. The BHRF1 miRNA cluster targets remain largely unknown. Preliminary data from both miRNA-mRNA prediction software PITA have found binding sites of BHRF1-1 miRNA: ATF-1 and ATF-2, essential transactivators of EBV lytic reactivation. Another in-silico method for miRNA target prediction, miRanda, corroborates ATF-1 and ATF-2 as binding sites. For future directions, more in-silico and in-vivo techniques are to be performed in order to further identify BHRF1 miRNA targets predictions. These target predictions will then be confirmed through further experimentation.

PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2021
Advised By
Erle Robertson PhD
Join Emma for a virtual discussion
PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2021
Advised By
Erle Robertson PhD

Comments

Congratulations, Emma!  I am so glad to know that you were able to utilize these in silico approaches to continue your research this summer.  Did you learn enough about the various tools to understand and/or explain why they would yield different predictive results?  Also, do you plan to continue learning Linux/bioinformatics tools as part of your ongoing project?  Finally, if you are able to confirm ATF1 or 2 as EBV miRNA targets, will you pursue/explore their mechanistic effects next, or what question will be up on your list?