Sophia's research
Presentation title: Bio Characterisation Studies of New-World Alphavirus Untranslated Terminal Regions
Abstract: Alphaviruses are single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses transmitted by mosquitoes. Encephalitic New-World Alphaviruses induce high mortality rates in equids and pose a threat to human health since they are highly infectious and can be aerosolised making them a bioweapon threat. Viral untranslated regions (UTRs) are non-coding RNA sequences at the end of a viral genome. Their structure regulates replication, translation, and virus-host interactions making them key regulators of the viral life cycle. We use SAXS, SEC-MALS, and SHAPE to characterize the UTRs. Studying RNA structures improves our understanding of viral RNA biochemistry and identifies targets for antiviral therapies against New-World Alphaviruses.
