eEF1 family, viral infection, translation elongation factor, host–virus interaction, antiviral targets, broad-spectrum antiviral drugs, Microbiology, QR1-502

The eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 (eEF1) family exhibits critical roles in RNA viral infection beyond its canonical function in protein synthesis. This review analyzes the structural characteristics of eEF1A and the eEF1B complex, and their regulatory mechanisms during viral infection. eEF1A impacts viral replication by stabilizing viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complexes, modulating genomic RNA synthesis, and facilitating viral assembly through cytoskeletal regulation. eEF1B subunits contribute through enhancing viral mRNA translation, regulating nuclear transport of viral components, and mediating post-translational modifications. The high conservation of eEF1 proteins across species and their involvement in multiple stages of viral replication establish them as promising broad-spectrum antiviral targets. Current eEF1-targeting compounds like plitidepsin demonstrate efficacy against diverse viral families, though therapeutic development faces challenges in balancing antiviral activity with host toxicity. This review provides a theoretical foundation for developing novel antiviral strategies targeting host–virus interaction interfaces and offers insights into addressing emerging infectious diseases.