Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus

The papers introduced in the Commentary present new insights and review aspects of current knowledge concerning the competition between viruses and their hosts for the cellular translation apparatus. Viruses depend on this apparatus and utilize diverse mechanisms to usurp it for the translation of v...

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Main Author: Christopher U. T. Hellen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Viruses
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/766
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author Christopher U. T. Hellen
author_facet Christopher U. T. Hellen
author_sort Christopher U. T. Hellen
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description The papers introduced in the Commentary present new insights and review aspects of current knowledge concerning the competition between viruses and their hosts for the cellular translation apparatus. Viruses depend on this apparatus and utilize diverse mechanisms to usurp it for the translation of viral mRNAs and to suppress synthesis of cellular proteins. Virus-induced modification of translation factors, selective abrogation of mRNA binding to ribosomes and degradation of cellular mRNAs all impair elements of the innate immune response, thereby undermining host defenses against infection. Various cellular mechanisms prevent translation of viral mRNAs, by modifying components of the translation apparatus to effect a generalized shut-off of translation or by binding of host proteins to viral mRNAs to induce their degradation or to prevent their engagement with the translation apparatus. Viruses have in turn evolved countermeasures to evade these defenses, for example by encoding proteins that impair the activity of host factors or via alterations in the sequence and structure of viral mRNAs. Such changes enable viral mRNAs to avoid recognition by host factors or to support translation initiation by specialized mechanisms that involve only a subset of the factors that are required by cellular mRNAs.
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spelling doaj-art-d1d232e40dbd4494a405b1825cbb38f52025-08-20T02:21:54ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-05-0117676610.3390/v17060766Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation ApparatusChristopher U. T. Hellen0Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USAThe papers introduced in the Commentary present new insights and review aspects of current knowledge concerning the competition between viruses and their hosts for the cellular translation apparatus. Viruses depend on this apparatus and utilize diverse mechanisms to usurp it for the translation of viral mRNAs and to suppress synthesis of cellular proteins. Virus-induced modification of translation factors, selective abrogation of mRNA binding to ribosomes and degradation of cellular mRNAs all impair elements of the innate immune response, thereby undermining host defenses against infection. Various cellular mechanisms prevent translation of viral mRNAs, by modifying components of the translation apparatus to effect a generalized shut-off of translation or by binding of host proteins to viral mRNAs to induce their degradation or to prevent their engagement with the translation apparatus. Viruses have in turn evolved countermeasures to evade these defenses, for example by encoding proteins that impair the activity of host factors or via alterations in the sequence and structure of viral mRNAs. Such changes enable viral mRNAs to avoid recognition by host factors or to support translation initiation by specialized mechanisms that involve only a subset of the factors that are required by cellular mRNAs.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/766translational controlmRNA translationIRESinterferon-stimulated geneShiftlessITAF
spellingShingle Christopher U. T. Hellen
Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus
Viruses
translational control
mRNA translation
IRES
interferon-stimulated gene
Shiftless
ITAF
title Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus
title_full Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus
title_fullStr Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus
title_full_unstemmed Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus
title_short Viral Strategies and Cellular Countermeasures That Regulate mRNA Access to the Translation Apparatus
title_sort viral strategies and cellular countermeasures that regulate mrna access to the translation apparatus
topic translational control
mRNA translation
IRES
interferon-stimulated gene
Shiftless
ITAF
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/766
work_keys_str_mv AT christopheruthellen viralstrategiesandcellularcountermeasuresthatregulatemrnaaccesstothetranslationapparatus