EBER

EBER refers to two short small nuclear RNAs associated with the Epstein-Barr virus.

EBER1 and EBER2 are 167 and 172 nucleotides in length respectively. They are not required for EBV-mediated growth transformation. These two RNAs are transcribed by the host's RNA polymerase III even during a latent infection of EBV. EBER1 associates with human ribosomal protein L22 and causes this protein to move from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm.

EBERs 1 and 2 can be deleted from the viral genome without noticeable phenotypic changes, though this has never been found deleted in nature. EBER expression alone can induce tumours in severe combined immunodificient mice.