The ERVK3-1 Microprotein Interacts with the HUSH Complex.
Uncover the hidden power of a tiny protein - the ERVK3-1 microprotein - as it interacts with the HUSH complex, a key player in silencing parasitic genomic elements, shedding light on a potential mechanism for regulating gene expression.
This study investigates the function of the ERVK3-1 microprotein, a recently discovered 109-amino acid protein encoded by a human endogenous retrovirus (hERV) locus. The researchers demonstrate that the ERVK3-1 microprotein interacts with the HUSH complex, a transcriptional repressor that targets intron-less genes, including retrotransposons and hERVs. They show that the ERVK3-1 microprotein is essential for the HUSH complex's ability to repress its target genes, suggesting a role for this microprotein in sensing or regulating the expression of these parasitic genomic elements. This finding provides insights into the complex interplay between hERVs and the host genome, with implications for understanding gene regulation and the evolution of the human genome.