Functional analyses of mammalian virus 5′UTR-derived, small RNAs that regulate virus translation

•Host RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) control translation of enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) RNA.•Dicer produces virus-derived small RNAs (vsRNAs) from the 5′-untranslated region.•Biochemical and cell-based methods reveal a vsRNA-EV-A71-RBP translational control axis.•The methods are applicable to many RNA viruses from which infected cells produce vsRNAs.