Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41559190›Full record

ArticleMolecular systems biology2026

Essentiality and dynamic expression of the human tRNA pool during viral infection.

Noa Aharon-Hefetz, Michal Schwartz, Einav Aharon, Noam Stern-Ginossar, Orna Dahan, Yitzhak Pilpel

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular systems biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. tRNA modifications in viral replication.The Journal of biological chemistry · 2026
    Review
  2. tRNAs at the Virus-Host Interface.Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. RNA
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Noa Aharon-HefetzDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
Michal SchwartzDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5442-0201
Einav AharonDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
Noam Stern-GinossarDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
Orna DahanDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel. orna.dahan@weizmann.ac.il.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8096-5085
Yitzhak PilpelDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel. Pilpel@weizmann.ac.il.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3200-9344

Funding

EC | European Research Council (ERC) 616622
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human viruses rely on host translation resources, including the cellular tRNA pool, because they lack tRNA genes. Using tRNA sequencing, we profiled mature tRNAs during infections with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and SARS-CoV-2. HCMV-induced alterations in mature tRNA levels were predominantly virus-driven, with minimal influence from the cellular immune response. Certain post-transcriptional modifications, correlated with tRNA stability, were actively manipulated by HCMV. By contrast, SARS-CoV-2 caused minimal changes in mature tRNA levels or modifications. Comparing viral codon usage with proliferation- versus differentiation-associated codon-usage signatures in human genes revealed striking divergence. HCMV genes aligned with differentiation codon usage, whereas SARS-CoV-2 genes matched proliferation codon usage. Structural and gene-expression genes in both viruses showed strong adaptation to host tRNA pools. Finally, a systematic CRISPR screen of human tRNA genes and tRNA-modifying enzymes identified specific tRNAs and enzymes that either enhanced or restricted HCMV infectivity and influenced cellular growth. Together, these data define a dynamic interplay between the host tRNA landscape and viral infection, illuminating the mechanisms governing host-virus interactions.

Indexed as

CytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus InfectionsRNA, TransferSARS-CoV-2Codon UsageHost-Pathogen InteractionsHumansRNA Processing, Post-TranscriptionalRNA, TransferFunctional GenomicsGene ExpressiontRNAViral Infection

Identifiers

PMID41559190
PMCPMC13046961

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.