B. A. Glaunsinger

The general transcription factor TFIIB is a target for transcriptome control during cellular stress and viral infection

The paper identifies TFIIB as a target for degradation during cellular stress and viral infection, showing two pathways for its depletion and how KSHV counteracts this to support viral transcription.

From enhancers to genome conformation: complex transcriptional control underlies expression of a single herpesviral gene

The paper identifies cis-regulatory elements controlling ORF68 expression in KSHV and shows how their 3D genomic positioning changes during the viral lifecycle.

DNA processing by the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus alkaline exonuclease SOX contributes to viral gene expression and infectious virion production

This study investigates the role of KSHV SOX, a bifunctional alkaline exonuclease, in viral DNA processing, gene expression, and virion production through structure-guided functional analysis.

Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 ORF45 stimulates B2 retrotransposon and pre-tRNA activation in a manner dependent on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling

This paper identifies MHV68 ORF45 as an activator of RNAPIII transcription through MAPK/ERK signaling, increasing Brf1 levels and inducing B2 retrotransposon and pre-tRNA transcription.

Vaccinia virus D10 has broad decapping activity that is regulated by mRNA splicing

The paper investigates the decapping activity of vaccinia virus D10 and finds it preferentially targets host transcripts with introns, aiding viral transcriptome remodeling.

A pentameric protein ring with novel architecture is required for herpesviral packaging

The paper identifies a pentameric protein ring essential for herpesviral genome packaging, showing it binds DNA and is critical for viral replication.

Site specific target binding controls RNA cleavage efficiency by the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus endonuclease SOX

This study investigates how RNA sequence affects the cleavage efficiency of the KSHV endonuclease SOX, revealing that specific RNA binding near cleavage sites determines cleavage efficiency.

N6 -methyladenosine modification and the YTHDF2 reader protein play cell type specific roles in lytic viral gene expression during Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection

This study shows that m6A modification and the YTHDF2 protein have cell-type specific effects on KSHV gene expression during lytic infection, with pro-viral or anti-viral impacts depending on the cell type.