Archaeal vesicles: new insights into viral evolution and DNA transfer

本项目的目的是在细胞和分子水平上确定质粒和膜泡的产生以及DNA转移的基础。最近发现的质粒囊泡利用病毒衣壳样膜囊泡在宿主细胞之间传输质粒DNA，这表明它们可能是病毒颗粒的进化前体。预期的项目成果包括首次对Eurya chaeota门中的膜小泡进行实质性描述，质粒小泡是如何产生和传播的，以及对病毒如何进化的新见解。这可能导致为预防病毒传播和支持新的和改进的应用程序的开发、生物技术以及在动物和人类中安全地提供疫苗或基因提供新的途径。

This project aims to determine the basis for plasmid and membrane vesicle generation and DNA transfer at the cellular and molecular level. Recent discovery of plasmid vesicles, which transfer plasmid DNA between host cells using viral capsid-like membrane vesicles, suggests they may be an evolutionary precursor for virus particles. The expected project outcomes include the first substantive characterisation of membrane vesicles in the phylum Euryarchaeota, how plasmid vesicles are generated and transmitted, and new insights into how viruses may evolve. This may lead to new avenues for preventing viral transmission and supporting development of new and improved applications biotechnology and the safe delivery of vaccines or genes in animals and humans.