Molecular basis of dengue virus-induced fusion

登革热病毒由蚊子传播，在热带和亚热带地区的100多个国家引起大规模流行。感染登革病毒会引起登革热或其更严重的，有时是致命的形式，登革出血热-登革休克综合征（DHF-DSS）。每年有多达1亿人感染登革热，使登革热病毒成为全球最重要和最常见的蚊媒病毒性疾病之一。在过去二十年，登革热病毒感染的发病率稳步上升。全球超过40%的人口面临感染风险，随着更多人旅行，这一数字预计还会增加。该提案的重点是登革病毒进入细胞的方式，特别是病毒蛋白介导病毒膜与宿主细胞膜融合的机制。对这一过程的分子基础有了更清楚的了解，就可以为能够结合和阻断这一过程的新药提供潜在的靶点。此外，我们还将利用这些信息设计和生产新的候选疫苗。

Dengue viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes and cause major epidemics in more than 100 countries in tropical and subtropical regions. Infection with Dengue viruses cause Dengue fever or its more severe and sometimes fatal form, Dengue hemmorrhagic fever-Dengue shock syndrome (DHF-DSS). Up to 100 million people are infected annually making Dengue virus one of the most important and frequent mosquito-borne viral diseases worldwide. Over the past two decades, the incidence of Dengue virus infection has increased steadily. More than 40% of the world's population is at risk of infection and this number is expected to increase as more people travel. This proposal focuses on the way dengue virus enters cells, specifically the mechanism used by viral proteins to mediate fusion of the viral membrane with that of the host cell. A clearer understanding of the molecular basis of this process should provide potential targets for new drugs that can bind and block this process. In addition, we will also use this information in the design and generation of new vaccine candidates.