Temporal RNA-seq analysis of host transcriptional remodeling during lytic murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection

Bulk RNA sequencing was performed to characterize host transcriptional changes during lytic murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection. NIH 3T3 cells were mock- or MHV-68-infected (multiplicity of infection of 5) and harvested at 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours post-infection, representing immediate early through very late stages of lytic replication. Differential expression analysis revealed extensive and time-dependent remodeling of host gene expression, including immune, metabolic, chromatin-associated, and transcriptional pathways. This dataset provides a temporal framework for understanding host responses during productive lytic gammaherpesvirus infection.