Regulation of antiviral innate immunity by chemical modification of viral RNA

More than 100 chemical modifications of RNA, termed the epitranscriptome, have been described, most of which occur in prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomal, transfer, and noncoding RNA and eukaryotic messenger RNA. DNA and RNA viruses can modify their RNA either directly via genome‐encoded enzymes or by hijacking the host enzymatic machinery. Among the many RNA modifications described to date, four play particularly important roles in promoting viral infection by facilitating viral gene expression and replication and by enabling escape from the host innate immune response. Here, we discuss our current understanding of the mechanisms by which the RNA modifications such as N(6)‐methyladenosine (m6A), N(6),2′‐O‐dimethyladenosine (m6Am), 5‐methylcytidine (m5C), N4‐acetylcytidine (ac4C), and 2′‐O‐methylation (Nm) promote viral replication and/or suppress recognition by innate sensors and downstream activation of the host antiviral response. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease. RNA Structure and Dynamics > Influence of RNA Structure in Biological Systems. RNA Evolution and Genomics > RNA and Ribonucleoprotein Evolution.