Understanding the Initiation of Viral Replication & its Role in Influenza Virus Pathogenicity (360G-Wellcome-211544_Z_18_Z)

The development of novel strategies against influenza viruses depends on our understanding of influenza virus replication and pathogenicity. Both are directly linked to the activity of the viral RNA polymerase, which copies and transcribes the viral genome, and generate aberrant RNA products that are non-contiguous in the viral genome and strong inducers of the interferon response. Despite recent crystal structures of the RNA polymerase, we only poorly understand how it interacts with and copies the viral genome, or how it generates aberrant RNA products. This project aims to use i) structure-guided mutagenesis, ii) in vitro and in vivo activity assays, iii) cell culture-based interferon production assays, to ask if RNA polymerase residues that bind and guide the viral genome are important for the initiation of viral replication and the formation of aberrant RNA products and thereby the pathology of influenza virus infections. The project will contribute to our understanding of the mechanics of influenza virus replication and the identification of putative targets for the development of new anti-influenza virus drugs.