Post-transcriptional regulation includes both RNA and protein modifications, leading to the modulation of protein expression levels or protein functions. These modifications may virtually regulate every cellular process, including DNA repair, transcription, cell cycle, apoptosis, environmental stress response and immune response. The use of systems biology has discovered the extraordinary complexity and the cross-talk between different post-translational modification networks. As obligatory intracellular pathogens, post-transcriptional modification networks are common targets for viruses, not only affecting viral protein expression or function, but also providing a fine-tuning for the viral regulation of host cell biology. In addition, post-transcriptional modifications during viral infections have attracted increasing interest as a potential target for the development of novel antiviral strategies.
Post-transcriptional regulation includes both RNA and protein modifications, leading to the modulation of protein expression levels or protein functions. These modifications may virtually regulate every cellular process, including DNA repair, transcription, cell cycle, apoptosis, environmental stress response and immune response. The use of systems biology has discovered the extraordinary complexity and the cross-talk between different post-translational modification networks. As obligatory intracellular pathogens, post-transcriptional modification networks are common targets for viruses, not only affecting viral protein expression or function, but also providing a fine-tuning for the viral regulation of host cell biology. In addition, post-transcriptional modifications during viral infections have attracted increasing interest as a potential target for the development of novel antiviral strategies.