Effects of SarsCov2 on small RNA transcriptome in human lung cells

SARS-CoV-2 infection initiates complex interactions at mucosal barriers. In primary human bronchial epithelial cells, we investigated changes in the small RNA transcriptome of a pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 variants. We uncovered differential expression of a specific set of miRNAs, piRNAs, snoRNAs, vault RNAs, Y RNAs, and lincRNAs such as MALAT1 and NEAT1, which inhibit apoptosis while promoting cell proliferation and viral infection. Conversely, differential expression of 7SL, U2, and RPPH1 RNAs, as well as miR-155-5p and miR-27a-5p, was involved in antiviral signaling. Expression of the protein-coding genes CXCL10, IFIT1, NCOA7, IFIT2, SIX3 and RPSA was increased during Delta infection. Expression profiling of small RNA by SarsCov2 at different time points (Uninf, 1h, 1d, 3d)