Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40056902›Full record

ArticleCell2025

Evolution of KoRV-A transcriptional silencing in wild koalas.

Tianxiong Yu, Michaela B J Blyton, Milky Abajorga, Birgit S Koppetsch, Samantha Ho, Bo Xu, Zhongren Hu, Jeremy Luban, Keith Chappell, Zhiping Weng and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tianxiong YuDepartment of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Michaela B J BlytonSchool of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Milky AbajorgaProgram in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Birgit S KoppetschProgram in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Samantha HoProgram in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Bo XuThe School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
Zhongren HuThe School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
Jeremy LubanProgram in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. Electronic address: jeremy.luban@umassmed.edu.
Keith ChappellSchool of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: k.chappell@uq.edu.au.
Zhiping WengDepartment of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. Electronic address: zhiping.weng@umassmed.edu.
William E TheurkaufProgram in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. Electronic address: william.theurkauf@umassmed.edu.

Funding

CHEETAH Center for the Structural Biology of HIV Infection, Restriction, and Viral DynamicsU54AI170856 · NIAID · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI WESLEY I. SUNDQUIST · 2022 to 2026
$34.4M
RNA localization and translational controlR01HD049116 · NICHD · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · PI THEURKAUF, WILLIAM EDWARD · 2005 to 2024
$10.8M
The HUSH complex in HIV-1 latencyR37AI147868 · NIAID · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · PI JEREMY LUBAN · 2019 to 2026
$6.4M
NIAID NIH HHS R37 AI147868NIAID NIH HHS U54 AI170856NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD049116
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Koala retrovirus-A (KoRV-A) is spreading through wild koalas in a north-to-south wave while transducing the germ line, modifying the inherited genome as it transitions to an endogenous retrovirus. Previously, we found that KoRV-A is expressed in the germ line, but unspliced genomic transcripts are processed into sense-strand PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which may provide an initial "innate" form of post-transcriptional silencing. Here, we show that this initial post-transcriptional response is prevalent south of the Brisbane River, whereas KoRV-A expression is suppressed, promoters are methylated, and sense and antisense piRNAs are equally abundant in a subpopulation of animals north of the river. These animals share a KoRV-A provirus in the MAP4K4 gene's 3' UTR that is spreading through northern koalas and produces hybrid transcripts that are processed into antisense piRNAs, which guide transcriptional silencing. We speculate that this provirus triggers adaptive transcriptional silencing of KoRV-A and is sweeping to fixation.

Indexed as

Endogenous RetrovirusesEvolution, MolecularGene SilencingPhascolarctidae3' Untranslated RegionsAnimalsMalePromoter Regions, GeneticProvirusesRNA, Small Interfering3' Untranslated RegionsRNA, Small Interferingadaptive evolutionkoala retroviruspiRNAsretroviral genome remodelingtranscriptional silencing

Identifiers

PMID40056902
PMCPMC12009212

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.