Novel RNA-Targeted Proteomics Approach Leads to the Identification of a Key Role for YBX1 in HCMV Replication

Understanding the intricate interplay between host factors and viral pathogens remains a focal point of research in molecular virology. Here, we describe a new role for Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) during Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in regulating the translation of mRNAs encoding the immediate early proteins IE1 and IE2. In this study, we introduce a novel technique for investigating RNA-protein interactions, leveraging the strengths of CRISPR-Cas13, allowing for precise and sensitive exploration of RNA-protein interactions during infection in a temporal manner. Through this approach, we explored the role of YBX1 in HCMV replication, providing a deeper understanding of the molecular host-pathogen interactions. This research not only advances our knowledge of YBX1’s role in viral pathogenesis, but also introduces a powerful tool for unraveling RNA-protein dynamics that can be used in a wide range of biological processes.

解析宿主因子与病毒病原体之间的复杂相互作用，始终是分子病毒学研究的核心焦点。本研究阐明了Y盒结合蛋白1（Y-box binding protein 1, YBX1）在人类巨细胞病毒（Human Cytomegalovirus, HCMV）感染过程中的全新功能：其可调控编码即刻早期蛋白IE1与IE2的mRNA的翻译过程。本研究开发了一种用于探究RNA-蛋白质相互作用的新型技术，该技术依托CRISPR-Cas13的技术优势，能够在感染进程中以时序方式实现精准且灵敏的RNA-蛋白质相互作用分析。通过该技术手段，我们探究了YBX1在HCMV复制过程中的功能，进一步加深了对宿主-病原体分子相互作用的认知。本研究不仅拓展了我们对YBX1在病毒致病机制中作用的认知，还开发了一种可用于解析多种生物学过程中RNA-蛋白质动态互作的高效工具。