IISc Virus Research has achieved a major scientific breakthrough by uncovering how the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) takes control of a host cell’s protein-making machinery to reproduce. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, used advanced cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to capture the virus’s Internal Ribosomal Entry Site (IRES) interacting with the host’s ribosome during the earliest stage of protein synthesis. The study, published in eLife, reveals that the virus mimics parts of the host’s own molecular machinery to produce viral proteins while bypassing normal cellular controls. Scientists believe this unique interaction could become a highly selective drug target, paving the way for next-generation antiviral medicines against EMCV and related viruses such as poliovirus. The discovery marks a significant advance in structural biology and virology research.
IISc Virus Research Decodes How Viruses Hijack Host Protein Machinery
