韩国基础科学研究所V. Narry Kim小组的一项最新研究开发出了稳定RNA和促进翻译的脊椎动物病毒RNA元件的功能图谱。相关论文发表在2026年8月13日出版的《细胞》杂志上。

为了解决这一差距，该团队进行了大量平行报告基因分析，涵盖了297种脊椎动物感染病毒属的约20万个基因组片段。课题组研究人员发现了许多通过TENT4介导的混合尾链增强RNA稳定性和翻译的病毒元件，分布在19个属中，分为6个不同的亚类，表明广泛的趋同进化。该课题组人员还发现了多种与TENT4无关的元素通过其他途径起作用。

其中一个元件来自Potamipivirthem的Pt1，将线性mRNA稳定到与环状RNA相当的水平，表明其在RNA治疗方面的潜力。Pt1直接招募典型聚(A)聚合酶(PAPγ/α) -以前被认为只在转录偶联核前mRNA加工中起作用-来驱动细胞质聚腺苷化。总之，这些发现描绘了病毒调控的丰富图景，扩展了多聚(A)尾生物学的范围，并确立了病毒作为揭示宿主RNA调控机制的有价值的载体。

据介绍，病毒编码多种调控元素，但其广度和机制仍不明确。

附：英文原文

Title: Functional atlas of vertebrate viral RNA elements that stabilize RNA and enhance translation

Author: Jenny J. Seo, Chemin Lee, Dongbin Lim, Minseok Jeong, Soo-Jin Jung, V. Narry Kim

Issue&Volume: 2026-08-13

Abstract: Viruses encode diverse regulatory elements, but their breadth and mechanisms remain poorly defined. To address this gap, we performed massively parallel reporter assays spanning ～200,000 genomic segments from 297 vertebrate-infecting viral genera. We identified numerous viral elements that enhance RNA stability and translation through TENT4-mediated mixed tailing, distributed across 19 genera and grouped into six distinct subclasses, indicating extensive convergent evolution. We also found diverse TENT4-independent elements acting through alternative pathways. One such element, Pt1 from Potamipivirus, stabilizes linear mRNA to levels comparable to circular RNA, suggesting its potential for RNA therapeutics. Pt1 directly recruits canonical poly(A) polymerases (PAPγ/α)—previously thought to function exclusively in transcription-coupled nuclear pre-mRNA processing—to drive cytoplasmic polyadenylation. Together, these findings chart the rich landscape of viral regulation, extend the scope of poly(A)-tail biology, and establish the virome as a valuable source for uncovering host RNA regulatory mechanisms.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.07.038

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(26)00870-6