Beatrice T Laudenbach, Karsten Krey, Quirin Emslander, Line Lykke Andersen, Alexander Reim, Pietro Scaturro, Sarah Mundigl, Christopher Dächert, Katrin Manske, Markus Moser, Janos Ludwig, Dirk Wohlleber, Andrea Kröger, Marco Binder, Andreas Pichlmair
While viral replication processes are largely understood, comparably little is known on cellular mechanisms degrading viral RNA. Some viral RNAs bear a 5'-triphosphate (PPP-) group that impairs degradation by the canonical 5'-3' degradation pathway. Here we show that the Nudix hydrolase 2 (NUDT2) trims viral PPP-RNA into monophosphorylated (P)-RNA, which serves as a substrate for the 5'-3' exonuclease XRN1. NUDT2 removes 5'-phosphates from PPP-RNA in an RNA sequence- and overhang-independent manner and its ablation in cells increases growth of PPP-RNA viruses, suggesting an involvement in antiviral immunity...
November 25, 2021: Nature Communications