Final Activity Report Summary - DYNAMICS OF HCMV GEN (Localisation, dynamics and regulation of human cytomegalovirus genomes during lytic and quiescent infection)
The frequency of viral genome juxtaposition to ND10 was found to be substantially increased by inclusion of an active HCVM Early gene transcription unit, indicating that the association is neither random nor passive. Furthermore, the ND10 associated genomes preferentially progressed to form viral replication compartments. Thus, active viral transcription contributes to the efficiency of viral genome association with ND10 and this in turn increases the probability that the genome will engage in active DNA replication. These studies in live cells provide novel insight into virus-ND10 interactions and provide compelling visualisation of their functional relevance.