Viruses are adept at evolving or co-opting genomic elements that allow them to maximize their replication potential in the infected host. This evolutionary plasticity makes viruses an invalu_able system to identify new mechanisms used not only by viruses but also by vertebrate cells to modulate gene expression. Here, I discuss the identification and characterization of viral mRNA structures and noncoding RNAs that have led to important insights into the molecular mechanisms of eukaryotic cells.
展开▼
