Host transcription and translation machinery

The host transcription and translation machinery is a complex network of enzymes and ribonucleoproteins, including RNA polymerases, ribosomes, and various translation initiation and elongation factors, that execute the flow of genetic information from DNA to protein (Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell). This machinery is frequently co-opted by intracellular pathogens, particularly viruses, which rely entirely on the host's protein synthesis apparatus to produce viral components (Walsh and Mohr, 2011, Nature Reviews Microbiology). Consequently, specific elements of this system, such as eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A) or elongation factor 1-alpha (eEF1A), have emerged as therapeutic targets for antiviral and anticancer drug development (White et al., 2021, Science). For example, inhibitors like plitidepsin and zotatifin demonstrate the potential to disrupt viral replication by targeting these host factors (Gordon et al., 2020, Nature). However, since these processes are vital for normal cellular homeostasis, drugs targeting this machinery often face significant challenges regarding systemic toxicity and the requirement for a precise therapeutic window (Jan et al., 2016, Annual Review of Biochemistry). Dysregulation of these pathways is also a hallmark of malignancy, where increased protein synthesis supports rapid cell proliferation and survival (Bhat et al., 2015, Nature Reviews Drug Discovery).

Other names

Host protein synthesis machineryCellular gene expression machineryHost translation apparatusTranscriptional and translational machinery

Inhibition of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, interference with ribosomal translocation, inhibition of the eIF4F initiation complex, and blockade of eukaryotic elongation factors.