title: Tinkering with translation: protein synthesis in virus-infected cells.
abstract: Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites, and their replication requires host cell functions. Although the size, composition, complexity, and functions encoded by their genomes are remarkably diverse, all viruses rely absolutely on the protein synthesis machinery of their host cells. Lacking their own translational apparatus, they must recruit cellular ribosomes in order to translate viral mRNAs and produce the protein products required for their replication. In addition, there are other constraints on viral protein production. Crucially, host innate defenses and stress responses capable of inactivating the translation machinery must be effectively neutralized. Furthermore, the limited coding capacity of the viral genome needs to be used optimally. These demands have resulted in complex interactions between virus and host that exploit ostensibly virus-specific mechanisms and, at the same time, illuminate the functioning of the cellular protein synthesis apparatus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. derek.walsh@med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mohr
mesh_terms: D015852:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2 / Q000502:physiology; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / Q000378:metabolism; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010442:Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014779:Virus Replication; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015852:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins