Rotavirus–host cell interactions: an arms race

As obligate parasites, viruses depend on the synthetic machinery of the cell to translate their proteins and on the cell's energy and building blocks to replicate their genomes. Cells respond to virus invasions by eliciting diverse responses to eliminate the incoming parasitic agents. In turn, to establish a successful infection, viruses have developed different strategies to take over the cellular metabolic machinery and to cope with the defense mechanisms of the cell. The characterization of this battle has allowed the discovery of the different elements that viruses and cells have developed in the attempt to overcome the enemy. Here some of the strategies used by rotaviruses to hijack the protein synthesis apparatus of the cell to ensure the translation of their mRNAs, and to deal with the cellular stress and antiviral responses will be reviewed.

► Rotavirus shuts off the translation of cellular transcripts by at least three different mechanisms. ► The formation of stress granules is prevented in rotavirus-infected cells. ► Rotavirus infection elicits and modulates the unfolded protein response of the cell. ► The innate immune response of the cells is controlled during rotavirus infection.