Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41513996›Full record

ArticleNature microbiology2026

A giant virus forms a specialized subcellular environment within its amoeba host for efficient translation.

Ruixuan Zhang, Lotte Mayer, Hiroyuki Hikida, Yuichi Shichino, Mari Mito, Anouk Willemsen, Shintaro Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Ogata

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ruixuan Zhang *Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1441-2818
Lotte Mayer *Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-3200-0722
Hiroyuki HikidaBioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4876-3133
Yuichi ShichinoRNA Systems Biochemistry Laboratory, Pioneering Research Institute, RIKEN, Wako, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0093-1185
Mari MitoRNA Systems Biochemistry Laboratory, Pioneering Research Institute, RIKEN, Wako, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2564-6273
Anouk WillemsenCentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8511-3244
Shintaro IwasakiRNA Systems Biochemistry Laboratory, Pioneering Research Institute, RIKEN, Wako, Japan. shintaro.iwasaki@riken.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7724-3754
Hiroyuki OgataBioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan. ogata@kuicr.kyoto-u.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6594-377X

Funding

MEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) JPMJFS2123MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) JP18H02279MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) JP22H00384MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) JP23KJ1258MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) JP24H02307
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Many eukaryotic viruses, including amoeba-infecting mimiviruses, have codon usage that deviates from their hosts. However, codon usage patterns that align with the cellular tRNA pool enable efficient translation. How these viruses cope with the mismatch between tRNA supply and demand is unclear. Here we show that Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus (APMV) generates a subcellular area to translate viral mRNAs. tRNA sequencing showed that the tRNA pool was not substantially altered during the infection, even though the virus encodes tRNA genes. Using in situ labelling, we found that viral mRNAs and newly synthesized proteins were localized in the periphery of the viral factory, suggesting that APMV creates a discrete subcellular environment to facilitate translation. Frequently used codons in viral mRNAs had higher tRNA accessibility than the same type of codons in amoeba mRNAs. Our data show how local translation assists the virus in overcoming the mismatch between tRNA supply and demand.

Indexed as

AmoebaGiant VirusesMimiviridaeProtein BiosynthesisCodon UsageRNA, MessengerRNA, TransferRNA, ViralViral ProteinsRNA, MessengerRNA, TransferRNA, ViralViral Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41513996
PMCPMC12872441

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.