From nucleotides to phospholipids: UCK1's unexpected role in SARS-CoV-2 membrane remodeling.

In this issue, Shi et al.1 investigated nucleotide salvage in SARS-CoV-2 replication and discovered that uridine-cytidine kinase 1 promotes infection via an alternative pathway by supplying CMP for nuclear cytidine triphosphate production, driving synthesis of specific phosphatidylcholine species, thereby supporting membrane remodeling.