Investigating the Possible Role of the Transcription Modulator SLTM in Viral Infection and Cellular Stress

SLTM (SAF-B Like Transcription Modulator) is a paralog of SAFB (Scaffold Attachment Factor B, also known as SAFB1) and SAFB2 proteins.
The multifunctional SAFB proteins act predominantly in the nucleus, and they take part in DNA repair, mRNA transcription, splicing and processing of mRNA and regulatory RNA, and interact with chromatin-modifying complexes.
SLTM and SAFB proteins likely share similar functions, as they both affect mRNA expression levels and induce apoptosis upon their overexpression.
Previous experiments and computational analyses in our lab have revealed a correlation between SLTM expression and the transcriptional program that resists influenza type A virus (IAV) in mice lungs. Other labs reported that SLTM redistributes in the nuclei of cultured cells infected by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) to form nuclear foci. Moreover, this redistribution depends on the expression of the HSV E3 ubiquitin-ligase ICP0 protein.
The exact role of SLTM is unknown, and we hypothesized that SLTM redistributes into nuclear stress granules in response to various stressors, including viruses, or alternatively, functions as an antiviral factor (which is antagonized by HSV ICP0 protein).
Accordingly, we investigate SLTM`s possible role in the cellular responses to IAV, other viral infections, and abiotic stresses. To this end, we are using different methodologies, including genetic perturbations, transcriptome profiling, and fluorescent cellular imaging, to detect SLTM cellular effects and redistribution upon the above conditions.