Health
How the encephalomyocarditis virus hijacks host protein machinery
Key Points
Viruses lack the molecular machinery required for protein synthesis. Instead, they hijack the host's protein-making machinery, specifically ribosomes and translational factors. This process is essential for viral multiplication and infection.
Viruses lack the molecular machinery required for protein synthesis. Instead, they hijack the host's protein-making machinery, specifically ribosomes and translational factors. This process is essential for viral multiplication and infection. Viruses have RNA genomes or mRNAs containing structured regions called internal ribosomal entry sites (IRES) that help capture the host ribosome to translate viral genes while translation of host genes is blocked.