Role of the epitranscriptome in viral infections: beneficial or detrimental?

Epitranscriptomics, the study of post-transcriptional chemical base modifications of RNAs, has become a crucial area of research for understanding the complex interactions between viruses and their hosts. These RNA modifications significantly impact both viral and host RNA functions, influencing viral replication, transcription, translation, and immune evasion. The advancement of high-throughput technologies, such as mass spectrometry-based techniques and next-generation sequencing, has enabled researchers to investigate epitranscriptomic modifications and their roles in gene regulation in greater depth. Viral RNAs often carry various epitranscriptomic modifications that facilitate their stability and translation, enabling viruses to hijack the host environment, enhance replication, and evade immune defences. Conversely, host epitranscriptomic modifications can enhance antiviral responses by regulating gene expression and promoting the degradation of viral RNAs. This dual role underscores the complexity of virus-host dynamics, where epitranscriptomic modifications can be both beneficial and detrimental. This review aims to provide an overview of current knowledge on epitranscriptomic modifications in viral infections, focusing on their roles in viral replication and immune interactions, while considering their potential as targets for antiviral therapeutic intervention.