Centromeric DNA amplification triggered by viral proteins activates nuclear cGAS

Abstract

The cGAS-cGAMP-STING pathway is crucial for antiviral immunity. While cytosolic cGAS detects viral DNA, most DNA viruses shield their genome and invade the nucleus, where chromatin restricts cGAS activation. How viruses may activate nuclear cGAS is not well understood. Here, we show that several herpesvirus proteins trigger nuclear cGAS activation by perturbing centromeres, where cGAS is enriched. The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) ubiquitin ligase infected cell protein 0 (ICP0), which degrades centromeric proteins, promotes centromeric DNA amplification through the translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) pathway in quiescent monocyte-derived cells, thereby activating nuclear cGAS. During infection, HSV-1 evades this detection by also expressing UL36USP, a suppressor of TLS. Similarly to ICP0, the cytomegalovirus IE1 protein causes centromeric DNA amplification and cGAS activation. We define this mechanism as viral-induced centromeric DNA amplification and recognition (VICAR), uncovering a non-mitotic, immune-activating role of centromeres.

Keywords: CMV; HSV-1; ICP0; UL36USP; VICAR; cGAS; centromeres; innate sensing; translesion DNA synthesis.