{
  "abstract": "Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) harbors a 230-kb double-stranded DNA genome whose replication induces extensive DNA damage during lytic infection. Because HCMV lacks canonical DNA repair machinery, it relies on host DNA damage response (DDR) pathways. However, the mechanisms that govern the preferential recruitment and function of host DDR proteins on viral genomes remain poorly understood. Here, we show that HCMV co-opts the host chromatin remodeler MORC Family CW-type zinc finger 2 (MORC2) to promote DDR activation on viral genomes. HCMV infection induces MORC2 expression, which is important for efficient viral DNA replication and progeny virus production. We found that MORC2 redistributes to viral replication compartments (vRCs) in HCMV-infected cells and enhances viral chromatin accessibility in an ATPase-dependent manner, thereby facilitating γH2AX accumulation and the recruitment of DNA repair factors to vRCs. Furthermore, we found that HCMV UL112-113-mediated phase separation facilitates MORC2 recruitment to vRCs, promoting efficient DDR signaling on viral genomes. Together, these findings provide a mechanistic framework for how DNA viruses alleviate replication stress by hijacking host chromatin remodelers. Author summary: DNA viruses depend on host DNA damage response (DDR) to preserve genome integrity during replication, but the mechanisms underlying preferential recruitment of DDR machinery to viral genomes are poorly understood. We show that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) co-opts the host chromatin remodeler MORC2 to promote viral chromatin accessibility, DDR activation, and subsequent repair factor accumulation on viral genomes. UL112–113-mediated phase separation promotes MORC2 recruitment into replication compartments, thereby facilitating DDR activation on viral genomes. These findings reveal a mechanism by which a DNA virus hijacks host genome maintenance functions on its own DNA and identify MORC2 as a key host factor supporting HCMV replication.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.",
    "School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.",
    "The Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.",
    "SNU Institute for Virus Research, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea."
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jiseok Jeong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Dongjoon Jeong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Sungwon Lee"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Junhyun Park"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Hyewon Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Kwangseog Ahn",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1015-245X"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1fj15y4zygv2v.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.ppat.1014693",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014693",
  "id": "1fj15y4zygv2v",
  "issns": [
    "1553-7374",
    "1553-7366"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014693",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Nucleic acids/DNA/DNA repair"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Nucleic acids/DNA/DNA replication"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Chromosome biology/Chromatin"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/DNA/DNA repair"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/DNA/DNA replication"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Epigenetics/Chromatin"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression/Chromatin"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Medical microbiology/Microbial pathogens/Viral pathogens/Herpesviruses/Human cytomegalovirus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Virology/Viral replication"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Viruses/DNA viruses/Herpesviruses/Human cytomegalovirus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Viruses/Viral pathogens/Herpesviruses/Human cytomegalovirus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Pathogens/Microbial pathogens/Viral pathogens/Herpesviruses/Human cytomegalovirus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Immunologic techniques/Immunoassays/Immunofluorescence"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Specimen preparation and treatment/Staining/Cell staining"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Specimen preparation and treatment/Staining/Nuclear staining/DAPI staining"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221829662",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014693&type=printable",
  "pmcid": "PMC13693984",
  "pmid": "42873826",
  "published": "2026-10-14",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1fj15y4zygv2v.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:23Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.ppat.1014693",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014693"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:46Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42873826",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42873826"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:genetics",
      "subfield": "genetics-genomics"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Human cytomegalovirus exploits host chromatin remodeler MORC2 to promote the DNA damage response on viral genomes",
  "title_text": "Human cytomegalovirus exploits host chromatin remodeler MORC2 to promote the DNA damage response on viral genomes",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1fj15y4zygv2v",
  "venue": "PLOS Pathogens",
  "versions": []
}