The Role of Posttranslational Modifications During Ebola Virus Infection

Orthoebolaviruses (OEV) are highly pathogenic viruses responsible for the Ebola virus disease (EVD). To establish a successful infection, OEV hijacks the host cell machinery, which in turn responds to infection by activating cellular antiviral pathways. These processes are regulated via post-translational modifications (PTMs) of both cellular and viral proteins. The most common PTMs include phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, methylation, and glycosylation. These modifications regulate stability, activity, and interactions between proteins that control the immune response, cell metabolism, and cell death, among others. PTMs are critical during the viral replication cycle as they can be either proviral, facilitating adequate virus replication inside the infected cell, or antiviral, most commonly hindering essential viral processes such as viral genome transcription or replication. Here, we review the different roles of PTMs known to occur during OEV infection in both viral and cellular proteins. Understanding how OEV modulates the fate of host cell proteins through specific PTMs can provide a basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.