XRN1 couples RNA granule remodelling to global mRNA decay triggered by the activity of a viral endoribonuclease

In alphaherpesvirus vhs-triggered mRNA decay, XRN1 depletion prevents PABPC1 nuclear relocalisation and keeps P-bodies intact, linking granule remodelling to global cytoplasmic mRNA turnover.

• Why it matters: It remains unclear whether P-bodies actively degrade mRNA or mainly store decay components; resolving this spatial control is key to understanding how cytoplasmic RNA decay is organized.
• What they did: The study used vhs to synchronously trigger rapid, global cytoplasmic mRNA decay and tracked P-bodies, PABPC1 relocalisation, and RNA granules, testing effects of XRN1 depletion and catalytically inactive vhs.
• The result: vhs disperses P-bodies, but XRN1 depletion preserves them and reveals G3BP1-dependent granules; inactive vhs induces vhs-containing granules that recruit decay factors in an XRN1-dependent manner, while translational shutoff does not require RNA cleavage, G3BP1 condensation, or XRN1 activity.

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