Chromothripsis and the Epstein-Barr Virus

Chromothripsis is a term used to describe chromosome shattering. In this SNiP, we highlight a recent study by Li et al. that revealed a link between Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection and chromosomal instability. The authors identify a locus on chromosome 11q23 that is susceptible to binding by multiple copies of the EBV protein EBNA1. They propose a mechanism by which this concentrated binding and subsequent chromosomal breakage could explain the association between EBV and a variety of cancers.

And, did we mention that >90% of adults worldwide live with EBV? Read on to learn more.