Project description
Towards universal virus-host mapping tools via ‘ribosome hacking’
Viruses cannot replicate on their own. Outside host cells, they exist as genetic material encapsulated in a protein shell. To replicate, they inject their genetic material into a host cell and hijack its protein synthesis to enable translation of viral mRNA on host ribosomal RNA. Revealing these mechanisms has been challenging. Funded by the European Innovation Council, the VirHoX project aims to address this with an innovative approach for virus-host pairing called VirHo-seq. VirHo-seq involves ligating host ribosomal RNA with viral mRNA during translation via engineered enzymes and identifying virus-host pairings through high-throughput sequencing. It will support the study of emerging pathogens, ecological shifts and climate challenges via universal virus-host mapping tools.
Objective
"High throughput sequencing and metagenomics have deepened our understanding of viruses in nature, yet linking viruses to their hosts remains a challenge, hindering our knowledge and applications. The VirHoX project aims to overcome this by ""hacking"" the ribosome to map virus-host associations. Leveraging a critical moment in the infection cycle of all viruses, the translation of viral genes into proteins by the host cell, we will uncover concealed relationships between viruses and their hosts, providing a universal tool for virus-host pairing. This novel approach, VirHo-seq, involves ligating host ribosomal RNA with viral mRNA during translation in infected cells using engineered enzymes, followed by high throughput sequencing to reveal virus-host pairings. Our interdisciplinary consortium of academic and industrial experts in microbiology, protein engineering, gene editing, viral genomics/transcriptomics and law, will develop and then prepare the commercialisation of VirHo-seq, envisioning legislative and analytical frameworks to maximise its impact. This technology will significantly help tackle current challenges, such as those posed by emerging pathogens, ecological disruptions, and climate change. Our approach aligns with the EIC Work Programme objectives, demonstrating feasibility on model organisms before validating on relevant samples, addressing the ""engineered living materials"" challenge."
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
- social sciences law
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
35122 PADOVA
Italy
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