Structural analysis of arboviral genomic RNAs and their functional validation as key factors in vector susceptibility.

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K19185
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 39:Agricultural and environmental biology and related fields
• Research Institution: Jikei University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: OTE MANABU 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (20386717)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 嘉糠 洋陸 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (50342770)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: RNAウイルス / ヤブカ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

RNA viruses replicate by forming complex secondary structures within their genomic RNA and by interacting with various host and viral proteins. We discovered that insect-borne viruses adopt unique higher-order RNA structures that are different from conventional secondary structures. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the formation of these structures, we developed an experimental system using cultured Drosophila cells and recombinant insect viruses incapable of self-replication. To capture the dynamic structural changes that occur in response to the cellular environment during infection, we conducted large-scale RNA secondary structure analyses of dengue virus and Flock House virus. Our results revealed that the non-coding regions of the viral genome, in particular, undergo environment-dependent structural rearrangements.

Free Research Field

衛生動物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は、昆虫媒介性RNAウイルスの特殊な高次構造の存在とその環境依存的変化を示しており、ウイルスの増殖や制御機構の新たな理解に貢献する。構造に特異的なRNA定量法の確立は、ウイルス診断や創薬への応用可能性を広げる点で社会的意義も大きい。