Chemical modifications of viral RNA are an integral part of the viral life cycle and are present in most classes of viruses. To date, more than 170 RNA modifications have been discovered in all types of cellular RNA. Only a few, however, have been found in viral RNA, and the function of most of these has yet to be elucidated. Those few we have discovered and whose functions we understand have a varied effect on each virus. They facilitate RNA export from the nucleus, aid in viral protein synthesis, recruit host enzymes, and even interact with the host immune machinery. The most common methods for their study are mass spectrometry and antibody assays linked to next-generation sequencing. However, given that the actual amount of modified RNA can be very small, it is important to pair meticulous scientific methodology with the appropriate detection methods and to interpret the results with a grain of salt. Once discovered, RNA modifications enhance our understanding of viruses and present a potential target in combating them. This review provides a summary of the currently known chemical modifications of viral RNA, the effects they have on viral machinery, and the methods used to detect them.

中文翻译：

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这是小事（在病毒 RNA 中）。


病毒RNA的化学修饰是病毒生命周期的一个组成部分，并且存在于大多数病毒类别中。迄今为止，已在所有类型的细胞 RNA 中发现了 170 多种 RNA 修饰。然而，在病毒 RNA 中只发现了少数，而且其中大部分的功能尚未阐明。我们发现的少数病毒以及我们了解其功能的病毒对每种病毒都有不同的影响。它们促进RNA从细胞核输出，帮助病毒蛋白质合成，招募宿主酶，甚至与宿主免疫机制相互作用。他们的研究最常用的方法是质谱分析和与下一代测序相关的抗体测定。然而，鉴于修饰 RNA 的实际量可能非常小，因此将严谨的科学方法与适当的检测方法相结合并对结果持保留态度非常重要。一旦发现，RNA 修饰可以增强我们对病毒的理解，并成为对抗病毒的潜在目标。这篇综述总结了目前已知的病毒 RNA 化学修饰、它们对病毒机制的影响以及用于检测它们的方法。