Viral Noncoding RNAs: Insights into Evolution

Like host cells, some viruses produce noncoding RNAs that contribute to the viral life cycle or help the virus evade the defenses the host organism raises against infection. We have been studying a variety of noncoding RNAs made by gamma herpesviruses, a group that includes the oncogenic viruses EBV and KSHV. The talk will illustrate how investigation of the molecular mechanisms of action of viral noncoding RNAs has revealed evolutionary relationships among viruses, as well as between viruses and their host cells.