Host factors and viral countermeasures

Host factors are essential components of intrinsic and interferon-induced antiviral defense, whereas viruses have evolved diverse strategies to neutralize, evade, or exploit these barriers. Interferon-stimulated genes and constitutive restriction factors can inhibit infection by sensing nucleic acids, blocking entry or replication, degrading viral proteins and genomes, or altering cellular environments. In response, viral antagonists may sequester restriction factors, redirect their degradation, inhibit signalling, modify viral targets, or evolve sequence changes that reduce recognition. Structural, biochemical, genetic, and evolutionary studies have revealed both virus-specific and convergent mechanisms of immune evasion, but the determinants of restriction-factor specificity, evolutionary stability, and activity in different tissues remain incompletely understood. Further investigation is needed to connect molecular interactions with host range, viral emergence, and therapeutic opportunities.This Research Topic aims to define the molecular and evolutionary principles governing host restriction factors and viral countermeasures. It will examine how antiviral defenses operate, how viral antagonists overcome them, and how these interactions shape viral adaptation, pathogenesis, and susceptibility to intervention.To gather further insights into host restriction and viral countermeasures, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Interferon-stimulated and constitutive restriction factorso Mechanisms of nucleic acid sensing and viral inhibitiono Restriction of viral entry, replication, translation, and assemblyo Viral antagonist proteins and immune evasion strategieso Protein degradation, sequestration, and relocalization mechanismso Structural studies of restriction factor–antagonist interactionso Biochemical and genetic analysis of antiviral restrictiono Evolutionary adaptation and convergent immune evasiono Comparative studies across virus families and host specieso Restriction factors as targets for antiviral development Topic editors: Sunny Dhir, Mingmin Zhao, Guangyong Ma Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86802/host-factors-and-viral-countermeasures