Human cytomegalovirus exploits host chromatin remodeler MORC2 to promote the DNA damage response on viral genomes.

HCMV exploits host MORC2 to enhance DNA damage response on viral genomes, with MORC2 redistribution to viral replication compartments being essential for viral replication.

• Why it matters: Understanding how DNA viruses recruit host DNA repair mechanisms is crucial because HCMV lacks its own repair machinery and depends on host pathways to facilitate replication under replication stress.
• What they did: The study used infection models to show that HCMV induces MORC2 expression, which redistributes to viral replication compartments and enhances chromatin accessibility in an ATPase-dependent manner, promoting DDR factor recruitment.
• The result: This reveals that HCMV hijacks host chromatin remodelers like MORC2 to alleviate replication stress, providing insights into viral manipulation of host DNA repair pathways and potential antiviral targets.