Viruses and microRNA

I attended the seminar on October 24th with Dr. Bryan Cullen from Duke University. He studies in the Center for Virology and Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at the Duke University Medical Center.  His presentation was on viruses and microRNA and how they relate to one another. In his presentation, he went over data that showed how viruses can benefit from their own microRNA and cellular microRNA during replication. In order to facilitate viral replication, these viruses have to encode microRNAs. The viruses do this encoding diminishing the host cell's immune responses. There are also a number of viruses that manipulate cellular microRNA that will encourage the replication cycle. Cellular microRNAs have the potential to hinder this viruses and the way that they express their mRNAs. However, several reports and experiments have suggested that the microRNAs can inhibit a protective process for viral replication. Throughout his presentation, he reviewed the results that he found that support these findings.