title: Translation initiation of viral mRNAs.
abstract: Viruses depend on cells for their replication but have evolved mechanisms to achieve this in an efficient and, in some instances, a cell-type-specific manner. The expression of viral proteins is frequently subject to translational control. The dominant target of such control is the initiation step of protein synthesis. Indeed, during the early stages of infection, viral mRNAs must compete with their host counterparts for the protein synthetic machinery, especially for the limited pool of eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) that mediate the recruitment of ribosomes to both viral and cellular mRNAs. To circumvent this competition viruses use diverse strategies so that ribosomes can be recruited selectively to viral mRNAs. In this review we focus on the initiation of protein synthesis and outline some of the strategies used by viruses to ensure efficient translation initiation of their mRNAs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Instituto Milenio de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Centro de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta 391, Santiago, Chile. malopez@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Lastra
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramdohr
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Letelier
authors.forename: Maricarmen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vallejos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vera-Otarola
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valiente-Echeverría
mesh_terms: D010442:Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral