Our genomes are dominated by repetitive elements. The majority of these elements derive from retrotransposons, which expand throughout the genome through a process of reverse transcription and integration. Short interspersed nuclear elements, or SINEs, are an abundant class of retrotransposons that are transcribed by RNA polymerase III, thus generating exclusively noncoding RNA (ncRNA) that must hijack the machinery required for their transposition. SINE loci are generally transcriptionally repressed in somatic cells but can be robustly induced upon infection with multiple DNA viruses. Recent research has focused on the gene expression and signaling events that are modulated by SINE ncRNAs, particularly during gammaherpesvirus infection. Here, we review the biology of these SINE ncRNAs, explore how DNA virus infection may lead to their induction, and describe how novel gene regulatory and immune-related functions of these ncRNAs may impact the viral life cycle.

我们的基因组主要由重复性元素组成。这些元件中的大多数来自逆转座子，逆转座子通过逆转录和整合过程扩展到整个基因组。短散布的核元件或SINE是一类丰富的逆转录转座子，可被RNA聚合酶III转录，因此仅产生非编码RNA（ncRNA），必须劫持其转座所需的机制。SINE基因座通常在体细胞中被转录抑制，但是在感染多种DNA病毒后可以被强烈诱导。最近的研究集中在由SINE ncRNA调节的基因表达和信号转导事件上，特别是在伽玛疱疹病毒感染期间。在这里，我们回顾了这些SINE ncRNA的生物学特性，探讨了DNA病毒感染如何导致它们的诱导，