Hepatitis delta virus interacts with splicing factor SF3B155 and alters pre-mRNA splicing of cell cycle control genes.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the agent responsible for the most severe form of human viral hepatitis. The HDV genome consists of a single-stranded circular RNA molecule that encodes for one single protein, the delta antigen. Given its simplicity, HDV must make use of several host cellular proteins to accomplish its life cycle processes, including transcription, replication, post-transcriptional, and post-translational modifications.