Defining the evolution of pathogen virulence to enhance rabbit biocontrol

兔子给澳大利亚带来了巨大的经济和生态负担。涉及病毒的生物控制是调节兔子种群的最佳手段，尽管它们通常具有短暂的有效性。因此，必须确定为什么有些病毒保留了有效生物防治所必需的高毒力，而另一些病毒则始终是良性的。通过对两种具有明显不同毒力的兔病毒，兔出血症病毒（高毒力）和澳大利亚兔杯状病毒（低毒力）的生物信息学和实验研究，该项目将确定控制毒力的分子机制和形成毒力进化的因素。最终，这项研究将有助于改善澳大利亚的兔子生物控制。

Rabbits impose a major economic and ecological burden on Australia. Biocontrols involving viruses are the best means to regulate rabbit populations, although they often have transient effectiveness. It is therefore essential to determine why some viruses retain the high virulence essential for effective biocontrol, while others are consistently benign. Through bioinformatic and experimental studies of two rabbit viruses with markedly different virulence, Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease virus (high virulence) and Australian rabbit calicivirus (low virulence), this project will determine the molecular mechanisms that control virulence and the factors that shape virulence evolution. Ultimately, this research will help improve rabbit biocontrol in Australia.