Modulation of various host cellular machinery during COVID‐19 infection

Abstract

AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV2) emerged in December 2019, causing a range of respiratory infections from mild to severe. This resulted in the ongoing global COVID‐19 pandemic, which has had a significant impact on public health. The World Health Organization declared COVID‐19 as a global pandemic in March 2020. Viruses are intracellular pathogens that rely on the host's machinery to establish a successful infection. They exploit the gene expression machinery of host cells to facilitate their own replication. Gaining a better understanding of gene expression modulation in SARS‐CoV2 is crucial for designing and developing effective antiviral strategies. Efforts are currently underway to understand the molecular‐level interaction between the host and the pathogen. In this review, we describe how SARS‐CoV2 infection modulates gene expression by interfering with cellular processes, including transcription, post‐transcription, translation, post‐translation, epigenetic modifications as well as processing and degradation pathways. Additionally, we emphasise the therapeutic implications of these findings in the development of new therapies to treat SARS‐CoV2 infection.