Researchers identify cellular enzyme that coronaviruses reprogram to accelerate viral spread and protein production

Researchers at Pompeu Fabra University find an enzyme that coronaviruses use to hijack cell machinery, providing a target for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 3, 2026, 4:43 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona

Hijacking the cellular machinery

Coronaviruses do not merely occupy human cells; they actively reprogram the existing cellular environment to facilitate their own expansion. Research published in Nature Communications reveals that these viruses target transfer RNAs (tRNAs), which are the cellular components responsible for building proteins. By modifying these parts, coronaviruses ensure that the cell is optimized to produce viral proteins rather than its own, allowing the infection to spread with increased speed and efficiency.

The role of stress response enzymes

The study identifies specific enzymes that modify tRNAs as the key drivers of this transformation. These enzymes are activated by the stress response triggered within a human cell during a viral infection. Elena Muscolino, the study's first author, noted that coronaviruses typically require tRNAs that are present in low concentrations. However, by triggering a cellular stress response, the virus forces the cell to prioritize the exact tRNAs needed for viral protein synthesis, effectively turning the host's defense mechanism into a production line for the pathogen.

Broad-spectrum potential across variants

This mechanism of tRNA modification was observed in both SARS-CoV-2, which is associated with severe illness, and HCoV-OC43, a coronavirus that typically causes mild common cold symptoms. The consistency of this strategy across different strains suggests it may be a universal characteristic of the coronavirus family. Juana Díez, director of the Molecular Virology Research Group at Pompeu Fabra University, stated that targeting these enzymes could lead to the development of broad-spectrum antivirals that remain effective even as new variants emerge from animal reservoirs.