Resolution of viral R-loop by DHX9 promotes hepatitis B virus replication.

DHX9 resolves R-loops during HBV transcription, promoting viral replication and revealing a potential antiviral target.

• Why it matters: Persistent HBV cccDNA is a major obstacle to curing chronic hepatitis B, and understanding how R-loops influence HBV replication could lead to new treatments.
• What they did: The study used molecular analysis to show that HBV promotes R-loop accumulation, and DHX9 resolves these R-loops at transcription termination, aiding HBV RNA export and DNA replication.
• The result: Targeting DHX9 to disrupt R-loop resolution could hinder HBV replication, offering a promising strategy to eliminate the persistent cccDNA reservoir and improve antiviral therapies.