Dynamics of modifications and processing of RNAs in the flavivirus replication cycle (A05)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 439669440

Project A5 aims to develop purification methods to study the RNA modifications that occur in the dengue virus (DENV) genome (gRNA) during the viral life cycle and their relevance. During FP1, we identified a single m5C site in DENV gRNA and uncovered its role in promoting gRNA turnover. In FP2, we will investigate the mechanistic regulation of this modification, including potential reader and eraser proteins, and investigate conservation in other DENV serotypes. We will further refine an in-gel hybridization technique for the isolation of sufficient quantities of short DENV subgenomic sfRNA for modification analysis by LC-MS.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 319: RMaP: RNA Modification and Processing
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Mark Helm; Alessia Ruggieri, Ph.D.