@article{mbs:/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.021816-0, author = "Zhang, Tianzheng and Wang, Ying and Zhang, Li and Liu, Bin and Xie, Jinhui and Wood, Charles and Wang, Jinzhong", title = "Lysine residues of interferon regulatory factor 7 affect the replication and transcription activator-mediated lytic replication of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8", journal= "Journal of General Virology", year = "2011", volume = "92", number = "1", pages = "181-187", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.021816-0", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.021816-0", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1465-2099", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection goes through latent and lytic phases, which are controlled by the viral replication and transcription activator (RTA). Upon KSHV infection, the host responds by suppressing RTA-activated lytic gene expression through interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7), a key regulator of host innate immune response. Lysine residues are potential sites for post-translational modification of IRF-7, and were suggested to be critical for its activity. In this study, we analysed the 15 lysine residues for their effects on IRF-7 function by site-directed mutagenesis. We found that some mutations affect the ability of IRF-7 to activate interferon (IFN)-α1 and IFN-β promoters, to suppress RTA-mediated lytic gene expression and to repress KSHV reactivation and lytic replication. However, other mutations affect only a subset of these four functions. These findings demonstrate that the lysine residues of IRF-7 play important roles in mediating IFN synthesis and modulating viral lytic replication.", }