The host tRNA epitranscriptome: A new player in RNA virus infections

Abstract

Viruses completely depend on the host translation machineries to express the viral proteins. Recent data reveal an unprecedented interaction of positive strand RNA ((+)RNA) viruses with the host tRNA epitranscriptome to favor viral protein expression via a specific reprogramming of codon optimality that ultimately favors decoding of the viral codons. We propose that this feature is shared by multiple RNA viruses and that the involved tRNA modifying enzymes represent promising novel targets for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals.