SLC38A7 and infection: In the present study, expanding on the characteristics of the amino acid composition of the baculovirus virions and the changes in hemolymph amino acids after infection, the mechanism of host cell amino acid reprogramming at the level of the individual cell was also revealed and included (1) upregulating the expression of amino acid transporters to facilitate extracellular uptake of amino acids, and (2) inducing (mitochondrial) autophagy to supplement intracellular amino acid consumption (Fig 6G Panel b).