Functional analysis of the herpesvirus Saimiri ORF57 protein

Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) is the prototype gamma-2-herpesvirus which has significant homology to the medically important Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). HVS encodes an essential multifunctional protein, ORF57, which is conserved in all herpesviruses. ORF57 plays a pivotal role in transactivating viral gene expression by specifically mediating the nuclear export of intronless viral transcripts. To perform this function, ORF57 has the ability to shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, bind viral RNA and interact with various cellular proteins involved in nuclear import and export pathways.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo