
ALT SARS-CoV-2 Selectively Induces the Expression of Unproductive Splicing Isoforms of Interferon, Class I MHC, and Splicing Machinery Genes A plethora of respiratory viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), strategically manipulate the host’s RNA processing machinery to circumvent antiviral responses….. Our findings explore a suggested but uncharacterized mechanism, whereby SARS-CoV-2 infection induces the predominant expression of unproductive splicing isoforms in key IFN signaling, interferon-stimulated (ISGs), class I MHC, and splicing machinery genes, including IRF7, HLA-B, and HNRNPH1….. We postulate that SARS-CoV-2 employs an unreported tactic of exploiting the host splicing machinery to bolster viral replication and subvert the immune response by selectively upregulating unproductive splicing isoforms from antigen presentation and antiviral response genes.



























