IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-60534-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Herpes simplex virus type 1 reshapes host chromatin architecture via transcription machinery hijacking

Author

Listed:
  • Esther González-Almela

    (Southern Medical University)

  • Alvaro Castells-Garcia

    (Southern Medical University)

  • François Dily

    (Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Manuel Fernández Merino

    (Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Davide Carnevali

    (Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Pol Cusco

    (Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Luciano Croce

    (Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    ICREA
    Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF))

  • Maria Pia Cosma

    (Southern Medical University
    Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    ICREA
    Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF))

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) remodels the host chromatin structure and induces a host-to-virus transcriptional switch during lytic infection. We combine super-resolution imaging and chromosome-capture technologies to identify the mechanism of remodeling. We show that the host chromatin undergoes massive condensation caused by the hijacking of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) and topoisomerase I (TOP1). In addition, HSV-1 infection results in the rearrangement of topologically associating domains and loops, although the A/B compartments are maintained in the host. The position of viral genomes and their association with RNAP II and cohesin is determined nanometrically. We reveal specific host–HSV-1 genome interactions and enrichment of upregulated human genes in the most contacting regions. Finally, TOP1 inhibition fully blocks HSV-1 infection, suggesting possible antiviral strategies. This viral mechanism of host chromatin rewiring sheds light on the role of transcription in chromatin architecture.

Suggested Citation

  • Esther González-Almela & Alvaro Castells-Garcia & François Dily & Manuel Fernández Merino & Davide Carnevali & Pol Cusco & Luciano Croce & Maria Pia Cosma, 2025. "Herpes simplex virus type 1 reshapes host chromatin architecture via transcription machinery hijacking," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-26, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60534-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60534-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60534-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-60534-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60534-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.