Small viral RNAs as determinants of influenza A virus pathogenesis

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With just ten major proteins, influenza A virus (IAV) must gain entry to both cell and nucleus, transcribe and replicate its genome, and then perform the inverse of the entry process in order to egress and spread. To achieve this, the virus must introduce new components that change viral biology as the infection progresses. We believe one major component that orchestrates these changes derives from small virus-encoded RNAs (svRNAs) that engage and modulate the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). This grant focuses on defining how svRNAs change the function of the viral RdRp during the course of infection. The knowledge gained from these studies will significantly contribute to our understanding of IAV biology and may provide an entirely new direction towards the future development of novel therapeutics.