RNA viruses: hijacking the dynamic nucleolus

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Abstract
The nucleolus is a dynamic subnuclear structure that is crucial to the successful functioning of a cell. Its functions include ribosomal RNA synthesis, cell growth and cell-cycle control as well as responding to cellular stress. Recent studies show that the nucleolus is not a steady-state structure but instead is made up of numerous protein–protein and protein–nucleic-acid interactions that are constantly changing in response to the metabolic conditions of the cell. Many different viruses target the nucleolus to disrupt host-cell function and to recruit cellular proteins to aid in virus replication. The study of viral-protein trafficking to the nucleolus and the interaction of viral proteins with nucleolar proteins is providing many insights into the cell biology of the nucleolus. Because the nucleolus is fundamental to the life cycle of many viruses, disrupting the interaction between the nucleolus and the virus could lead to the design of novel therapeutic strategies.