Applications of single-cell RNA sequencing in virology

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is now emerging as a powerful tool to characterize the roles of cell heterogeneity in many fields, including virus infection. Transcriptional profiling at the single-cell level has enabled a greater appreciation of the dynamic changes of virus infection and the complex interactions between viruses and host cells. In this review, we briefly introduce the scRNA-seq technology, and the researches progress of scRNA-seq applied to virus infection. Moreover, we summarize the effects of cell heterogeneity, such as cell cycle, gene expression, and cell state, and virus mutations on the virus infection. We also analyze the unique advantages of scRNA-seq in researches of the dynamic changes of virus-host interaction, and the profound prospects of this technology used in virology for future studies. This review aims to provide a useful reference for the application of scRNA-seq in the understanding of the viral infection and pathogenicity mechanisms which may lead to the development of potential antiviral targets.