Overview
- Researchers at Pompeu Fabra University show that coronavirus infection triggers stress responses that chemically alter tRNAs, reprogramming host translation to favor viral protein synthesis.
- The same host tRNA changes were detected in SARS‑CoV‑2 and in HCoV‑OC43, pointing to a mechanism likely shared across divergent coronaviruses.
- Blocking the implicated tRNA‑modifying enzymes in cell models significantly decreased production of coronavirus proteins.
- The peer‑reviewed study was published in Nature Communications and involved collaborators in Glasgow, Valencia, and Barcelona.
- The authors highlight these enzymes as candidates for broad‑spectrum antivirals, noting the lack of such drugs and the early, preclinical stage of this research direction.