REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Virology
This article is part of the Research TopicViral RNA Dynamics: Regulatory Mechanisms in Host-Pathogen InteractionsView all articles
The Role of Post-Translational Modifications in RNA Virus Pathogenesis: Allies or Adversaries?
Provisionally accepted
- 1The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- 2Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
- 3Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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Infectious diseases continue to pose major threats to global public health, owing to the persistent emergence of novel and re-emerging viruses. However, the intricate mechanisms governing virus–host interactions remain incompletely understood. Precise regulation of protein function is critical during viral infection, and post-translational modifications (PTMs), as key modulators of protein activity, are extensively exploited by viruses at all stages of their life cycle. Upon entry into host cells, viruses frequently hijack host PTMs to reprogram cellular metabolism and signaling, thereby shaping infection outcomes. This review highlights recent advances in ten major PTM types implicated in RNA virus infections, emphasizing their multifaceted roles across the viral life cycle. By integrating the latest proteomics findings, it aims to provide deeper insight into PTMs as potential targets for antiviral strategies and to explore their promise in treating virus-associated diseases.
Keywords: Pathogenesis, post-translational modifications, Replication, RNA virus, virus–host interaction
Received: 16 Dec 2025; Accepted: 28 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Shao, Pei, Wang, Zhao, Fan and Pan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Huimin Fan
Jiahui Pan
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