Single-cell RNA-seq methods to interrogate virus-host interactions

Abstract

The twenty-first century has seen the emergence of many epidemic and pandemic viruses, with the most recent being the SARS-CoV-2-driven COVID-19 pandemic. As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses rely on host cells to replicate and produce progeny, resulting in complex virus and host dynamics during an infection. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), by enabling broad and simultaneous profiling of both host and virus transcripts, represents a powerful technology to unravel the delicate balance between host and virus. In this review, we summarize technological and methodological advances in scRNA-seq and their applications to antiviral immunity. We highlight key scRNA-seq applications that have enabled the understanding of viral genomic and host response heterogeneity, differential responses of infected versus bystander cells, and intercellular communication networks. We expect further development of scRNA-seq technologies and analytical methods, combined with measurements of additional multi-omic modalities and increased availability of publicly accessible scRNA-seq datasets, to enable a better understanding of viral pathogenesis and enhance the development of antiviral therapeutics strategies.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Nov 21, 2022
Source ID
10.1007/s00281-022-00972-2

Entities

People

  • Aaron J Wilk
  • Catherine Blish
  • Kalani Ratnasiri
  • Madeline Lee
  • Purvesh Khatri

Organizations

  • Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
  • Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust
  • Gates Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Science Foundation
  • Office of the Director
  • United States Department of Defense

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Systems Analysis and Design