DsRNA Characterization in Monkeypox-infected Cells

描述(申请人提供)：猴痘病毒和天花病毒有大约95%的同源性，并在人类中引起类似的疾病。然而，决定正痘病毒毒力的主要决定因素之一，E3L基因，在这两种密切相关的病毒之间存在显著差异。天花病毒(和痘苗病毒)E3L基因的猴痘病毒同源基因是重要的痘苗病毒天然免疫逃避基因，部分缺失。由于痘苗病毒在实验动物中表达类似缺失的E3L时会减弱，因此了解这种变异的猴痘病毒天然免疫逃避基因在猴痘病毒复制和免疫逃避中的作用是很重要的。这项应用的研究将表征猴痘病毒中补偿猴痘病毒E3L同源物部分缺失的改变基因。因此，本申请中描述的工作将提供有关猴痘病毒如何在动物和人类中引起疾病的重要信息。由于猴痘病毒被认为是重新出现的人类公共卫生问题，这项研究可能为开发更好的疫苗来预防人类感染猴痘病毒，以及为确实感染猴痘病毒的人开发更好的治疗方法提供基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Monkeypox virus and variola virus share about 95% homology, and cause similar diseases in humans. Yet one of the major determinants of orthopoxvirus virulence, the E3L gene, differs significantly between these two closely related viruses. The monkeypox virus homologue of the variola virus (and vaccinia virus) E3L gene, which is an important vaccinia virus innate immune evasion gene, is partially deleted. Since vaccinia virus, when expressing a similarly deleted E3L is attenuated in experimental animals, it is important to understand the role of this variant monkeypox virus innate immune evasion gene in replication and immune evasion of monkeypox virus. The research in this application will characterize the altered genes in monkeypox virus that are compensating for the partial deletion of the monkeypox virus E3L homologue. As such the work described in this application will provide important information on how monkeypox virus causes disease in animals and in humans. Since monkeypox virus is considered to be a re- emerging human public health concern, this research may provide the basis for development of better vaccines for protection against monkeypox virus infection in humans, and for the development of better treatments for people who do become infected with monkeypox virus.