Metabolic hijackers: how viral proteins redefine host cell landscapes

Abstract

Viruses are metabolic engineers of host cells. As obligate intracellular pathogens, they rely on host cell metabolism for efficient viral replication. The manipulation of host metabolic processes is a strategy shared among diverse virus families to secure the necessary resources for replicating new genomes, building more virus particles, and supporting cell growth and proliferation. Key metabolic pathways targeted by viruses for disruption and manipulation are glycolysis, glutaminolysis, and lipid metabolism. However, the mechanisms behind virus-induced metabolic reprogramming and the viral proteins mediating it remain poorly understood. This review explores how specific viral proteins reshape the metabolic milieu of host cells during viral infections. We also highlight common themes and outline gaps in knowledge to stimulate further investigations into how viral proteins manipulate host metabolism. Such mechanistic insights will deepen our understanding of virus-host interactions and may reveal novel therapeutic targets.