Viral host response articles from across Nature Portfolio

The pathological effects of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection on placental trophoblast progenitor cells in early human embryos are not well understood. In this study, using human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs), Wu et al. show that hTSCs are readily infected by ZIKV, but that there is increasing resistance to the virus as differentiation towards mature lineages proceeds.

Authors utilise a cohort of healthcare workers, infected during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, to assess symptom persistence and humoral and cellular immunity.

The heterogeneity of single cell responses during infection have been reported to influence disease outcome. Here, Pietilä et al characterize cellular heterogeneity during Herpes Simplex Virus 1 infection using a multimodal approach that resolves gene expression, proteomic and spatial details at the single cell level.

7DW8-5 is a glycolipid that binds CD1d and stimulates invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. Here the authors show that 7DW8-5, when administered intranasally, provides prophylactic anti-viral effects against influenza, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 in mice or hamsters, and that this effect is mediated by iNKT cells and IFN-γ.

The ambient environmental temperature changes the extent or severity of a virus infection. Here the authors show that influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection at higher temperatures promotes gut microbiota derived deoxycholic acid signalling which increases host resistance to infection.

A study looking at a common cold coronavirus suggests that it evolved over time to evade human immunity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the importance of understanding species such as bats that can serve as reservoirs for emerging viral threats. Here, Wang and colleagues call for greater consensus among the bat immunology community in five key areas.

This study suggests that m⁶A methylation promotes the clearance of reactive endogenous retrovirus-derived mRNA species.

A team led by the late Beth Levine discovered that viral xenophagy depends on sorting nexin 5.

Two studies provide insights into the possible roles of viruses in honey bee health and disease.

This study observed that enhanced thermal tolerance of virus-infected aphids leads to niche expansion and reduced interspecific competition.