Viral RNA structure-based strategies to manipulate translation

Jaafar, Zane A.; Kieft, Jeffrey S.

Viruses are obligate cellular parasites that must co-opt the cellular translation machinery. Eukaryote-infecting viruses have evolved a variety of ways to manipulate the cellular translation apparatus, in many cases using elegant RNA-centered strategies. These viral RNAs can alter or control every phase of the protein-making process, are very diverse in terms of target, mechanism, and the RNA structural characteristics, and are found in a wide range of viruses. In addition, as cells often attempt to limit infection by inhibiting translation, some of these viral RNAs act to overcome the cell’s antiviral response or even take advantage of it to further viral infection. Here, we present important illustrative examples of viral RNA-based strategies to exploit the translation machinery. We briefly describe what is understood of the structure and mechanism of diverse RNA elements, the advantages conferred to the virus, and some of the key unknowns that provide motivation for further exploration.