Giant viruses reprogram cellular protein factories, study shows

Giant viruses can directly rewire the protein-production machinery of their hosts, according to a new study by Branco Weiss Fellow J. Maximilian Fels and his coworkers reported in Cell. The findings reveal that these unusually large viruses do not merely rely on host cells for replication but actively reshape the cellular translation apparatus to favor viral protein synthesis.

The research highlights how giant viruses – some of which possess genomes comparable in size and complexity to those of small bacteria – manipulate ribosomes and associated factors to redirect the host’s protein factories toward viral needs. Rather than passively hijacking existing processes, they appear to reorganize them at a fundamental level.

By analyzing infected cells with advanced molecular and imaging techniques, the team demonstrated that viral components interact directly with host translation systems. This allows the viruses to prioritize the production of viral proteins while suppressing or bypassing normal cellular controls.

These insights challenge traditional views of viruses as entirely dependent on host metabolism and suggest that giant viruses occupy a more complex position in the tree of life than previously assumed. Understanding how they manipulate core cellular functions may also shed light on the evolution of translation systems and the boundaries between viral and cellular life.

Read the article in Cell: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00055-3

Read a summary in Science: https://www.science.org/content/article/giant-viruses-hijack-their-hosts-protein-factories

Read a summary in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00532-w