RUNX Binding Sites Are Enriched in Herpesvirus Genomes, and RUNX1 Overexpression Leads to Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Suppression.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 can efficiently establish lifelong, transcriptionally silent latency states in sensory neurons to escape host detection. While host factors have previously been associated with long-range insulators in the viral genome, it is still unknown whether host transcription factors can repress viral genes more proximately to promote latency in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Here, we assessed whether RUNX (runt-related transcription factor) transcription factors, which are critical in the development of sensory neurons, could be binding HSV-1 genome directly to suppress viral gene expression and lytic infection.

Vitamin B12 and folic acid alleviate symptoms of nutritional deficiency by antagonizing aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Despite broad appreciation of their clinical utility, it has been unclear how vitamin B12 and folic acid (FA) function at the molecular level to directly prevent their hallmark symptoms of deficiency like anemia or birth defects. To this point, B12 and FA have largely been studied as cofactors for enzymes in the one-carbon (1C) cycle in facilitating the de novo generation of nucleotides and methylation of DNA and protein. Here, we report that B12 and FA function as natural antagonists of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR).