RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) based immunity; RNA replicon:
We propose to harness the ability of RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), an essential protein encoded in the genomes of RNA viruses with no DNA stage, for the detection and tracking of RNA viral replication. By introducing efficient RNA parasites or reporters in host systems, we can build RdRp-based synthetic circuits to target and defend against positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses in vivo. Using Qβ coliphage as model organism, this approach could potentially offer insights for therapeutic host resistance against viral infection, a strategy that is independent of host immune responses.
