From shape to function: how structured RNA defines insect flaviviruses

该项目的目标是了解昆虫特有的黄病毒(ISF)如何利用病毒非编码RNA在蚊子中复制它们。这些病毒只在蚊子身上复制，而不是在人类或动物身上复制。它们可以被用作蚊媒疾病的生防剂，因为它们使蚊子无法传播疾病。然而，目前尚不清楚昆虫特有的黄病毒究竟如何影响蚊子，这一信息对于知情设计以ISF为基础的干预措施至关重要。该项目将产生关于ISF中非编码RNA功能的新知识，这些非编码RNA被假设对蚊子具有免疫调节作用。它还将培训学生和ECR。

The goal of this project is to obtain an understanding of how insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) utilise viral noncoding RNAs to enable their replication in mosquitoes. These viruses only replicate in mosquitoes, and not in humans or animals. They can be employed as the biocontrol agents for mosquito-borne diseases as they make mosquitoes incapable of disease transmission. However, it is currently unknown how exactly insect-specific flaviviruses affect mosquitoes and this information is vital for informed design of ISF-based interventions. The project will generate new knowledge on functions of noncoding RNAs in ISFs that are hypothesised to have immunomodulatory role in mosquitoes. It will also train students and ECRs.